Deadly convoys on highways

Nigerians who thought the days of impunity have ended in the country were recently proved wrong when a deadly convoy jolted a motorist off Abuja bridge; leading to the death of the victim. This is the audacious way by which a Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governor from the southeast zone reminded Nigerians that impunity especially on the highway is still very much alive.
When the victim who was identified as Mukaila Inakan left home on Tuesday February 16, 2016; he had no clue that a deadly convoy on Abuja road was going to send him to his early grave. Mukaila was driving in a Mercedes Benz car with registration number YAB 91 EW when he was jolted by the convoy of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state and, as a result, fell in to a ditch from the flyover bridge near Setraco before the NNPC substation on the Kubwa expressway. One painful misdemeanor of Governor Umahi is the shocking fact, as reported by eye witnesses that, none of the vehicles in the governor’s convoy stopped to help the victim of their recklessness. 
The Divisional Police Officer of the Gwarimpa police station in Abuja told reporters that the victim who was jolted by the convoy’s siren veered off the flyover bridge in to a ditch as he struggled to avoid the convoy. A crane, it was gathered, had to be used to lift the vehicle from the ditch after which sympathizers from among the crowd that gathered at the scene assisted in removing Mukaila from the vehicle. Thereafter, an oncoming police patrol van was waved down and used in conveying the victim to the Maitama General Hospital from where he was referred to Tauma Center at the National Hospital in Abuja where he died the following day.
As if the madness demonstrated by Governor Umahi and his team of callous drivers and aides was not brutal enough, officials from the Ebonyi state Liaison Office in Abuja told the victim’s relations that the governor was not liable because there was no physical contact between the convoy and the victim’s vehicle even though they knew the victim was scared by the convoy’s siren. So, Engr. Umahi besides being a governor is also a legal officer empowered by law to determine his own innocence or culpability in the accident that caused the death of Mukaila! As solicitors to their boss, officials from Ebonyi state liaison office pitilessly explained that the governor could not stop at the scene of the accident because their boss was rushing to attend a meeting.
When did lateness to meeting become an excuse for VIPs to flout traffic rules and endanger the lives of other road users? This is exactly how, over the years, the class of leaders which Umahi typically represents effectively turned its irresponsibility in to emergencies on Nigerian highways! If Governor Umahi refused to stop at the scene of the accident caused by his siren blaring convoy, it is doubtful if the same heartless governor would stop at the scene of an accident which he did not cause. One wonders whether the immunity clause in the constitution is a license for the perpetration of impunity by those it seeks to protect. Although he later apologized, the very unkind statement of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state who once told a widow to “go and die” is another dimension of VIP impunity.
Whatever Governor Umahi does now is far from bringing the victim back to life. Even the assurance given by officials from the governor’s liaison office in Abuja that Umahi “would be contacted to see what he can do on humanitarian ground” is of little or no effect to the victim’s surviving relations as nothing qualifies enough to take the place of the deceased in their life. Conscious of the prejudiced provision called immunity, relevant law enforcement agencies have a duty to ensure that Governor Umahi is prosecuted accordingly.
Convoy related accidents are not new in Nigeria. A similar wild disregard to traffic rules by the convoy of the former Kogi state governor, Captain Idris Wada, claimed the life of Dr Festus Iyayi (a former National President of ASUU) while on a journey by road to Kano to attend an ASUU National Executive meeting. The vehicle in which Iyayi was traveling was hit by another from the former Kogi state governor’s convoy which impact caused Iyayi’s death.
Besides the inordinate number of convoy users, over-speeding and poorly trained drivers of convoy vehicles are major factors responsible for convoy related accidents. The flagrant abuse or misuse of siren by authorized as well as unauthorized users all add to the traffic menace experienced on Nigerian highways. Nigerian VIPs and their over-exuberant aides have refused to understand that an authorization to use blue lights and siren does not in itself grant exemptions from road traffic laws including adherence to speed limit. The presence of law enforcement agents from the police force in VIP convoys makes the nuisance more mystifying.  In other places, only the police, the fire service and ambulances (apart from the President of a country) are allowed to use sirens in emergency situations.
Sirens are essentially designed to be utilized in emergencies even by those authorized to use them. But in Nigeria, the siren is used to harass, intimidate, and sometimes inflict injuries that could sometimes be fatal on law-abiding road users. It would be recalled that when Ehindero was serving as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), he issued specific instructions to regulate the use of siren and pilot cars. He directed that VIP convoys shall not use siren all the way throughout their journeys; warning that no private individual is allowed to use siren anytime, anywhere. He also directed that no bullion van was allowed to use siren except when piloted by a police pilot car.
To sanitize Nigerian highways, the current IGP Arase must end the abuse of siren and pilot cars by VIPs. It is ridiculous that pilot cars are still not carrying registered number plates. The Federal Road Safety Commission, too, must also be obliging in ensuring compliance by VIP convoys to road safety rules. May Allah save us from the cruelty of wicked VIPs, amin.