Petroleum Ministers Convoy Crushes Newspaper Staff To Death, NNPC Claims Responsibility

James Momoh

James Momoh, an Abuja-based media worker, died a gruesome death after he was run over by a convoy belonging to the Oil Resources minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

Momoh was reportedly on his way back from work at Nicon Junction, Maitama area of Abuja late Wednesday, when the tragedy occurred.
 A recent media report indicated that Momoh, employed by the Abuja-based Pilot Newspapers, was taken to the NNPC hospital where hospital workers were not able to save his life.

Momoh’s death was hushed up from the media until the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT council learned of the incident and issued a statement today expressing their condolences to his survivors.

 report indicated that Momoh was taken to the NNPC hospital where he later died after the incident.

A statement by the Chairman of Council, Comrade Chuks Ehirim, described the death of Momoh, a production staffer with the newspaper, as avoidable and unfortunate.

According to Ehirim, the death of Momoh brings to fore the recklessness of government convoys and their absolute disregard for traffic rules and other road users.

The NUJ FCT chairman accused the oil minister, who just returned to the country after an extended trip abroad, of failing to show any concern or human feeling for the dead man by reaching out to his relatives. He said she was rather more bothered about protecting her image.

Ehirim warned that the union will not fold its arms and watch government officials treat human lives with levity and called for proper investigation into the matter as well as proper compensation for the bereaved family.

Mrs. Allison Madueke arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday morning on a British Airways flight after news spread on the media that she was undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness. She denied the report on her Facebook page, cut short her trip by one week and quietly returned to Nigeria on Tuesday only for her convoy to kill the newspaper man on Wednesday night.

It was not known at press time whether Mr. Momoh had a family or what memorial services are planned.


Meanwhile, the Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Mr. Fidel Pepple has described as untrue reports that the convoy of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was involved in a deadly car crash which killed Mr. James Momoh, a staff of the Nigerian Pilot Newspaper in Abuja.
Mr. Pepple however confirmed that a shuttle vehicle belonging to the Corporation was involved in an accident which eventually led to the death of the Pilot Newspaper staff.

“I want to state categorically that the unfortunate event of last night has nothing to do with the convoy of the Honourable Minister as speculated.
The accident involved one of our shuttle buses which regrettably knocked down a pedestrian in the Mabushi area of Abuja and was immediately rushed to the NNPC Medical Centre for attention. But sadly the young man gave up the ghost,’’ he said.
The NNPC spokesman stated that the Minister’s convoy was not involved in the crash in any way noting that the vehicle in question is not part of the minister’s pilot vehicles.
He said the Management of the NNPC has taken steps to meet with the family of the deceased as well as the Management of Pilot Newspapers.