Two people – a housewife and her grandson – were killed on Sunday morning when a truck crashed into their home in Maje, a community on the outskirts of Suleja in Niger State.

The incident triggered tension in the community, with youths blocking the Suleja-Minna Road as well as another road leading to Dikko Junction, which links the area to the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

A resident, Muhammad Badamasi, said the truck driver arrived in the area around 7am from the Minna axis on his way to Kaduna when he suddenly discovered brake failure.

“He jumped out of the truck, leaving behind his assistant to control the vehicle, while at the same time struggling to stop the truck from outside by throwing objects at its wheels,” Badamasi said.

He added that the truck rammed into the house, killing the housewife, identified as Maryam Shuaibu, alongside her 10-year-old grandson, while another girl from the family sustained injuries.

Another resident, Abdulmumini Ahmad, said it was the fourth time a moving tanker had crashed into the same house due to the deplorable condition of the federal highway in the area.

During the protest, the youths lamented the lack of compensation for families of victims and owners of destroyed properties from either the government or truck owners in previous incidents, hence their decision to block the highway.

The protest caused a gridlock extending to Suleja town and neighbouring communities along the Minna and Dikko road axes.

A delegation from the Niger State Government, led by the Commissioner for Transport, Abdullahi Shuaibu Maje, later persuaded the protesters to reopen the highway around 3pm.

The victims were buried according to Islamic rites.

When contacted, the Police Area Commander in Suleja, ACP Muhammad Sani Musa, confirmed the incident. (Daily Trust)