A woman and her grandson were killed when a truck crashed into their house in Maje, a community on the outskirts of Suleja, Niger State.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, May 17, 2026, sparked tension in the area, with angry youths blocking the Suleja–Minna Road as well as another route leading to Dikko Junction, which connects to the Abuja–Kaduna highway.
A resident, Muhammad Badamasi, said the truck was coming from the Minna axis en route to Kaduna around 7 a.m. when the driver reportedly discovered a brake failure.
“He jumped out of the truck, leaving his assistant inside, while also trying to stop it from outside by throwing objects at its wheels,” Badamasi told Daily Trust.
He said the truck eventually rammed into the house, killing the housewife, identified as Maryam Shuaibu, and her 10-year-old grandson. Another girl in the family sustained injuries.
Another resident, Abdulmumini Ahmad, said it was the fourth time a moving tanker had crashed into the same house, blaming the repeated incidents on the poor condition of the federal highway in the area.
During the protest, youths complained about the lack of compensation for victims’ families and property owners affected by previous crashes, which led to their decision to block the highway.
The protest caused a major gridlock stretching into Suleja town and nearby communities along the Minna and Dikko routes. A delegation from the Niger State Government, led by the Commissioner for Transport, Abdullahi Shuaibu Maje, later intervened and persuaded the protesters to reopen the road around 3 p.m.
The victims were buried according to Islamic rites.
The Police Area Commander in Suleja, ACP Muhammad Sani Musa, confirmed the incident.
