Zamfara threatens death penalty on reckless driving

Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara State has threatened to introduce death penalty on reckless driving in the state.

The governor made the assertion when he led members of his Executive Council and the Management of BUA Group on a condolence visit to the Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello, over the death of 16 persons from the emirate in an auto crash last Wednesday.

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He affirmed that he would not hesitate to introduce death sentence on reckless drivers, adding that such drivers would be compelled by law to pay compensation for every lost life.

The governor expressed displeasure over the death of the victims as a result of reckless driving by a truck driver who ran into their vehicles and killed them along Gusau-Funtua road.

He announced a donation of N2 million to families of each of the deceased who had a wife and N1.5 million to families of those unmarried among them.

The governor likewise declared that he would put the next of kin of each of the victims on a monthly allowance of N50, 000 each. This, he said, would continue till the end of his tenure as governor of the state.

He said his administration would introduce speed limit gauge on highways as well as weight measurement on trucks and drug tests on drivers in order to guard against rough and reckless driving which usually ends in fatalities.

Matawalle noted that the measures had become necessary so that drivers and their families would no longer think they would have it easy if they kill anyone through recklessness, adding that the lives of the citizens of the state are more valuable than any other thing.

He urged the management of BUA Company to call their drivers to order and caution them on an acceptable speed limit.

He described the accident which claimed the 16 lives as monumental, and called on the families of the deceased to consider it as an act of Allah, praying that the deceased persons’ souls will be accepted in Jannatul Firdaus.

Earlier, the team leader from BUA, Engr. Aminu Suleiman, said they were in the state to condole with the government, Gusau emirate, people of the state, and the immediate families of those who were killed as a result of an accident involving the company’s driver.