GOVERNORS AND THEIR RECKLESS CONVOYS

One dusty Saturday morning in Minna some weeks ago, I almost became a victim of the reckless, high-speed arrogance that defines the convoys of Nigeria’s political elite.

It was February 1, 2025—the day of the 33rd convocation ceremony of Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMinna), in Niger State. Two governors were in town: Niger’s Mohammed Umar Bago and his Kaduna State counterpart, Senator Uba Sani.

With them came the usual show of power: long motorcades, blaring sirens and a blatant disregard for the lives of everyday citizens.

On my way to the market in the Gbaganu area of the town, I was in a tricycle when their convoys roared past. Their drivers, with complete disregard for road safety, sped through the untarred road, kicking up a thick cloud of dust that engulfed not just our tricycle but several other road users. Visibility vanished. For a moment, panic set in. But the convoys? They just sped on, indifferent to the chaos left in their wake.

Hours later, while returning from the market (the same day), I found myself face-to-face with danger once again—this time, courtesy of the Kaduna Governor’s convoy.

Near the Headquarters of the National Examination Council (NECO), one of the vehicles recklessly swerved into our lane. Our tricycle rider, faced with a choice between a head-on collision and a ditch, instinctively veered off the road, nearly throwing us into harm’s way.

And yet, not a single vehicle in the convoy stopped or even slowed down to check if we had survived their recklessness. They simply sped past, as though the lives of ordinary Nigerians were nothing but mere inconveniences.

But while I was lucky to escape with only shock and anger, others have not been as fortunate.

Recently, I came across a report by one Godfrey David Gani from Shiroro local government area of the state, detailing how Governor Bago’s convoy was involved in a fatal accident that killed two elderly men in Chibani community of Munya local government area on January 16, 2025.

The victims were on their way to their farms when one of the governor’s escort vehicles lost control and struck them. Both men died on the spot.

According to the report, the Niger State Government sent a delegation to visit the family of one of the deceased in Chibani. But the family of the other victim, Umaru Barde from Tapila village, has been left in the dark.

Over two months have passed, and no official has reached out to them. No condolence visit, no acknowledgment—just silence.

The family’s plea for recognition is simple: if the government cannot bring back their loved one, the least it can do is show basic empathy. But so far, power has looked away.

The question that haunts me is this: why must our leaders move like warlords in enemy territory? What exactly are they running from—or running towards—that justifies putting innocent lives at risk?

In saner societies, official convoys obey traffic laws. Their purpose is to serve the people, not terrorize them. But in Nigeria, these convoys have become symbols of impunity, lawlessness, and a complete disconnect from the very citizens these leaders claim to govern.

How many more lives must be lost before there is accountability? How many more people will be forced off the road before these governors realize that public office is not a license to endanger lives?

If nothing changes, it is only a matter of time before another avoidable tragedy makes headlines—only for it to be forgotten, just like all the others before it. But some of us will not forget. And we will not stop speaking out.

Abdulsalam Mahmud, Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, babasalam1989@gmail.com.