Pastor’s wife, 3 children, 4 others perish inroad crash

BY Beau-Steven
MINNA — TRAGEDY struck, Saturday night, as at
least eight persons including a Pastor's wife, Pastor
(Mrs) Hellen Samuel, her three children, Saviour,
Ensigne and Purity, were reportedly killed in an auto
crash in Katagbegi village of Niger State.
The accident occured when the bus owned by the
Niger State Transport Authority they were travelling
in ran into an articulated truck at a bad spot along
Bida-Minna road.
The family of Pastor Abraham Samuel of the
PotterPorchChurch, Minna and the other passengers
in the bus were said to be travelling from Lagos to
Minna when the crash occured at about 8pm,
Saturday night.
The bus, according to eyewitness, was said to have
caught fire shortly after the accident, thereby making
rescue efforts difficult.
It was, however, gathered that only one passenger
was rescued alive with serious burns.
Special Adviser to the Niger State Government on
Emergency and Disaster Management, Mohammed
Shaba, confirmed that the eight bodies had been
recovered from the scene of the accident, even
though the bus was believed to be carrying 18
passengers at the time of the accident.
Shaba said corpses of the deceased had been
deposited at the Minna GeneralHospital.
The passengers were said to have been burnt in the
vehicle because the local people that rushed for the
rescue efforts lacked the capacity to curtail the fire.
Our correspondent who went to the church met the
Pastor preaching during yesterdy's church service
after which he announced the demise of his wife and
three children.
Members of the church screamed at the news but the
Pastor remained calm with elders of the church
around him.
According to Pastor Samuel who, however,
maintained sober mood "My wife and the kids are
resting."
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN