by Oke Efagene

Nasarawa State governor, Tanko Al-Makura, is being sued to court by a non-governmental organozation, Centre for Social Justice for allegedly abandoning Ayuba Yakubu of Kwandere village after he was hit by the governor’s convoy.

The accident occurred over a year ago, when the convoy was conveying the Nasarawa First Lady, Salamatu Al-Makura along Keffi-Akwanga road.

Kingsley Njoku, the organisation’s counsel, said that the state government has refused to honour a previous agreement to settle the matter out of court after the driver of the convoy, Bawa Ahmadu, who had pleaded guilty to reckless driving, was convicted by a magistrate court.

Premium Times reports:

 Njoku said Mr. Ayuba was the only survivor of the fatal accident that killed 19 people including two police officers- Auwal Mohammed and Suleiman Yakubu- on September 18, 2012. He said the victim has, in the last two years, lost all he had as he has not been able to work.

Mr. Ayuba was reportedly on his way to Lafia when the accident occurred between a Toyota Hilux with registration number NSGH 37 belonging to the Nasarawa State government and a commuter bus with registration number XC 212 GW.

The counsel said he filed a suit (NGd/k28/2013) against Mr. Al-Makura, the Nasarawa government, the state attorney general and commissioner of justice, and the guilty driver, Bawa Ahmed, as the first, second, third, and fourth respondent respectively.

He said when the matter came up at the High Court in Keffi on July 26, the counsel to the state government asked for time to settle out of court. He said the state government offered N2 million to the victim; a sum, he argued, is far below the N4 million requested by the orthopedic hospital, Kano.

Njoku said his client decided to return to court after repeated efforts to get the state government to settle the medical bill was not forthcoming.

When contacted, the Nasarawa State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Innocent Lagi, denied abandoning the victim. He said the state government made an offer which was rejected and the state was doing its best to ensure Mr. Ayuba walks again. Lagi would not disclose the offer made by the state government.