Journalist, pregnant wife, 3 kids die in auto crash

A family of five, a father, who was also a journalist, a pregnant mother, and their three children have died in a motor accident in Kogi state.

The dead journalist, Mr Abdullahi Ibrahim was a reporter with the African Independent Television, (AIT) in Agenebode.

It was gathered that the deceased, a senior journalist and his family members were returning to their village, Okaba, Ankpa local government area of Kogi state last Thursday when the incident happened.

They had come to Lokoja to further prepare for the wedding fatiha of his daughter coming up next month and were returning home to continue the preparation when the accident occurred between Ojodu and Ochadamu communities along Ajaokuta- Anyigba highway.

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The family members were said to be traveling in their Peugeot 504 saloon car when the accident occurred.

Eyewitness accounts revealed that  Abdullahi was involved in a head-on collision when he was trying to negotiate a bend as a Toyota Hiace belonging to a popular transport company was also trying to overtake him on a top speed which led to a collision with an oncoming vehicle.

He was said to have died instantly with his three children and the wife who was five months pregnant.

The late journalist was said to have visited the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)  Lokoja, on a fateful day to distribute the wedding invitations, where he contributed to discussions with his colleagues before he embarked on the journey.

It was learned that he also informed his colleagues about how his car was involved in a minor accident that same day, telling them he had to fix the car at a mechanic workshop before leaving for his village.

Abdullahi described as a crack reporter had worked with seceral newspapers including the Sentinel, National Mirror, Royal Time and at a point was a publisher of the Trumpet before joining the AIT.

He was said to have lost his first wife and daughter about five years ago in mysterious circumstances.