Who should be held accountable for the death of Phyna’s sister? [OPINION]

Former BBNaija winner Phyna Otabor is mourning a devastating loss. Just two weeks ago, her younger sister, Ruth Otabor, was struck by a truck belonging to Dangote Group near Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State.

On August 13, 2025, the heavy-duty vehicle rammed into her, crushing her leg so severely that it had to be amputated from the pelvis. She slipped into a coma from her injuries and, despite fighting for her life, passed away on August 31, 2025.

Eyewitnesses at the scene alleged that the truck driver attempted to flee but was stopped by bystanders. Even more shocking was what followed: when the police apprehended the driver and impounded the truck, it was discovered that the young man had no driver’s license.

How is a driver working for one of the biggest establishments in Africa allowed to drive without a valid driver's license. In Nigeria, the Motor Vehicle Administration Act (Chapter F19) mandates the possession of a driver's license to legally drive a vehicle on Nigerian roads, so how did the Federal Road Safety Corps allow a heavy-duty vehicle driver bypass the law.

The issue regarding the license; or lack thereof, raised serious questions about the company’s hiring and safety practices.

Phyna took to social media in the aftermath of the accident, chronicling her desperate fight for justice. She accused representatives of Dangote Group of dragging their feet when she demanded her sister be flown to India for advanced medical care. 

ALSO READ: BBNaija's Phyna seeks justice for sister who was run over by truck

According to her, company officials asked for “proof” that Nigerian hospital they used was incapable of handling the case; time-wasting bureaucracy that Ruth simply did not have the luxury of.

The company, for its part, issued a statement on August 14, 2025, confirming the accident and stating that its officials and insurance team had visited the victim at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Auchi before she was transferred to Lagos State for further care.

Following Ruth’s death, the Dangote Group released another condolence statement, noting:

This tragedy exposes a long-standing, systemic problem with Dangote trucks on Nigerian roads. For years, Nigerians have complained about the recklessness of these drivers and the recurring fatalities linked to them. Many allege that the company’s vehicles have become a ‘normal’ cause of death in some communities; this is a chilling reality that can no longer be dismissed as “isolated,” because it’s not.

Phyna had alleged that the driver responsible for running into her sister had been set free, and the vehicle returned to Dangote group. In what functional society is this done? The driver responsible should have been held and charged with manslaughter at the very least, now that Ruth has passed away. But where is the perpetrator now?

How many more families must be destroyed before accountability is enforced? Dangote Group is not a small company struggling to survive; it is one of Africa’s largest corporations, owned by the continent’s richest man, Aliko Dangote. With such wealth and influence comes a duty to uphold the highest safety standards. Instead, Nigerians are left to bury their loved ones because of corporate negligence and poor oversight.

On August 22, 2025, the management of Dangote Cement announced the retraining of over 500 drivers on road laws and safety. They stated that the drivers were to undergo an extensive and rigorously structured recruitment process.

According to them, the drivers were expected to have valid driver’s licences class G, background verification of both the driver and their guarantors, comprehensive medical evaluation, including vision screening (eye test). Other qualifications were listed as blood pressure checks, BMI -body mass index, RBS – random blood sugar test as well as drug and alcohol testing.

The question, however, remains: Why was this not always the standard? And if it was, how and why was it not adhered to over the years? Also, why did it take the outrage from Ruth's accident for Dangote Group to do their real due diligence? Many deaths could have easily been prevented.

The tragedies linked to Dangote Group trucks are not isolated. Over the years, multiple lives have been lost and families devastated by avoidable crashes involving vehicles bearing the company’s name.

Auchi, Edo State (August 2025): A crash involving a Dangote Cement truck left three people dead near Auchi Polytechnic.

Abuja–Keffi Road (May 2025): A Dangote trailer collided with a mini truck, injuring three commuters.

Epe, Lagos (November 2024): A Dangote truck suffered brake failure at Ayetoro Market, killing three, including two students.

Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State (January 2021): A Dangote Cement truck lost control near Adekunle Ajasin University, killing at least nine students and residents.

Ilaro–Ibese Road, Ogun State (June 2021): Two people were killed when a Dangote truck crushed a motorcyclist and his passenger, sparking mob anger.

ALSO READ: Mob sets 'Dangote' truck on fire for crushing motorcyclist to death in Ogun

Lokoja, Kogi State (September 2017): A Dangote truck with alleged brake failure killed four, including schoolchildren and a polytechnic student

ALSO READ: Dangote Cement truck crushes 6 to death in Lagos after coronavirus lockdown

These are just a few, but by any measure, this is not coincidence, but a pattern of road carnage, and one that demands corporate accountability, stronger regulation, and urgent systemic change.

These recurring incidents leave many burning questions in the minds of Nigerians: What measures does the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have in place to guarantee that only drivers who have undergone extensive training, testing, and licensing are allowed to operate those deadly trucks?

What measures are in place to assess the trucks' and their occupants' roadworthiness? How is the amount of alcohol in the drivers' systems measured? How are the posted speed restrictions observed and checked? 

Until these questions are answered, the blame game continues at the expense of Nigerian lives.