Tragedy as Top Governor's Aide Dies in Ghastly Accident on Abuja-Kaduna Highway

March 11th, 2017

The Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, is currently in state of mourning, after his Senior Special Assistant was tragically killed in an accident on the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Friday.


GOVERNOR KASHIM SHETTIMA

A Senior Special Assistant to Governor Kashim Shettima identified as Farouk Musa, has died in an accident on the Abuja-Kaduna highway on Friday, an official has confirmed.

According to Premium Times, the victim,died after a car intercepted ‎a Hilux in which he was driving in the convoy of Gov. Shettima.

Musa was until his death, Senior Special Assistant on Intergovernmental Affairs, resident in Abuja and interfacing between the Borno State Government and ministries, agencies and departments of the federal government as well as foreign agencies and embassies.

Only the Hilux carrying the deceased was involved in the accident. Three persons survived the accident, the governor’s aide said. Two were to be discharged Friday night while one was admitted.

A government official who was at the scene said the accident was caused by a Prado 4-wheel drive which tried to make a U-turn on the highway. The Prado was said to be coming from opposite lane (from Abuja) and decided to make a fast U-turn onto the road leading to Abuja from Kaduna.

The pilot leading the governor’s convoy was said to have avoided the Prado while the ill-fated vehicle next to him tried dodging towards the right, but the vehicle skidded off the road and the driver lost control resulting in the Hilux turning upside down as a result of which occupants sustained various degrees of injuries.

The deceased, aged 45 years, was said to have been thrown out the vehicle following which he sustained internal injuries.

Governor Shettima led the convoy back to Kaduna and the victims were first taken to St Gerald hospital where the governor’s aide was pronounced dead on arrival in the presence of Gov. Shettima.

The governor was said to have aborted his trip and requested the transfer of the ill-fated vehicle driver, Modu, who was moved to Barau Dikko Hospital, also in Kaduna.

Sources said the late Musa was very close to Governor Shettima as they related for many years. The deceased was a federal civil servant before his appointment by Shettima during his first term.

He is survived by a wife and three children.

When contacted, Gov. Shettima’s Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy, Isa Gusau, who was also in the convoy, confirmed the accident and said the governor was still in a state of shock even though calm.