Five Children Died In an abandoned Car in Minna, Niger State Capital.
By Our Correspondent.
Five children mistakingly locked themselves in a car for about five hours around Albishir area Minna and died.
Our Correspondent gathered that the children were playing in a compound outside their house when they entered and locked themselves in the car unknowingly to the parents and owner.
It was gathered that they locked themselves up around 11 am and the parents were looking for them only to discover their dead body in the car about 4 pm.
It was learnt that the children four female and a male were made up of 3 siblings, who were the only children of their parents.
The Chairman of Chanchaga local government Rt Hon Aminu Ladan whose house is around the area immediately condole the family.
He confirmed to Journalists the incident, describing it as unfortunate while condoling the parents of the children
As at the time of filing this report the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO Wasiu Abiodun could not be reached for confirmation while the parents of the children were still grieved.
Three children of the same parents and two others, ages ranging from 5 to 10 years, died in an abandoned Honda Civic car with Registration No. GO 778 ABC in Niger State following suffocation after they locked themselves inside the car for hours.
It is a common sight to find children in large numbers throwing caution to the wind and playing on the streets of Minna, the state capital.
The incident happened on Sunday in the Gurara Albishir area located on Bida Road when the frolicking children mistakenly entered the vehicle which had been abandoned for two years before the incident and locked themselves inside for over five hours.
An eyewitness in the neighbourhood who gave his name as Bala Usman said the children were playing in a large compound when they hopped into the abandoned car, which refused to open.
“They tried to open the car, but it refused to open and so they gave up trying. The car has been parked there for about two years by the owner.
“They may have mistakenly locked themselves up from around 11 am while the parents were searching for them, only to discover their dead bodies in the car around 4 pm after fruitlessly looking everywhere around the vicinity,” Usman said.
The PUNCH learned that the victims, which included four females and a male, comprised three siblings and two victims of different parents, including the owner of the car. The names and ages of four of the children were given but have been withheld as they are minors, although the identity of the 5th victim could not be ascertained.a1
