Lagos, Nigeria - Road crashes involving the vehicular convoys of top government officials in Nigeria have killed 33 and left over 70 people injured in the last three months alone, according to the country's Federal Road Safety Commission. An official of the commission, Nsebong Akpabio, said: “154 people were involved in the accidents out of which 77 sustained serious injuries and 33 people have been killed. The crashes occurred in Benue, Kano, Nassarawa, Plateau, Niger, Ogun, Rivers and Katsina states.” The local media Monday quoted him as saying that most of the crashes were caused by excessive speeding and dangerous driving.

Official convoys in Nigeria are notorious for waltzing through traffic, disobeying traffic rules and blaring sirens indiscriminately, posing a great risk to other motorists.

In the most recent crash involving an official convoy, the aide-de-camp of Gov. Ibrahim Shema of northern Katsina state died when his car collided with a passenger bus. Three passengers in the bus also died.

Pana 28/03/2011