By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA — A family of three has tragically died in a car crash on the Mabushi Bridge in Abuja, following a dangerous altercation with touts. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, has ignited public anger and highlighted persistent road safety issues in the capital city.
According to initial reports, the family was traveling in their private vehicle when they were stopped by touts for allegedly picking up a relative an act the louts claimed was a traffic infraction. When the driver refused to pay the “fine,” the touts reportedly jumped into the moving car, grabbing the steering wheel. This struggle led to the vehicle colliding with a taxi before veering off the road and into a ditch, killing the family instantly.
The tragic event quickly turned into a vigilante scene. Eyewitnesses, enraged by the crash, chased down the touts. One of the suspects was reportedly set on fire, while the other two were severely injured but were rescued by police and taken to the hospital.
A separate account of the crash, however, suggests there were five people in the car at the time of the accident: the family of two and three touts who forced their way into the vehicle. This version also states that the family died on the spot, while the three touts survived and were taken to the National Hospital.
Police from the Mabushi Division later cleared the wreckage. As of now, there has been no official statement from the FCT Police Command regarding the incident.
The Mabushi area, a busy corridor connecting the Central Business District with other major areas, has long been known for traffic congestion and the harassment of motorists by illegal touts. Authorities have repeatedly warned against these extortion rackets, but enforcement remains a significant challenge.
This tragedy brings renewed urgency to the need for effective policing and stricter enforcement against these illegal activities to prevent further avoidable deaths on Abuja’s roads. In 2023, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reported 5,081 fatalities, underscoring the ongoing crisis of road safety in Nigeria.