FEATURE: Dangote Trucks Accident: Would Ruth Otabor’s Death Be The Last?
By Sunday Etuka, Abuja
The management of the Dangote Group of Companies, on Sunday announced the passing of Ruth Otabor, whose life was cut short by one of the drivers of its trucks in Edo State.
Ruth, who is a sister to Phyna, one of the winners of the BBNaija reality show, died as a result of an injury sustained in a recent road traffic clash involving one of Dangote’s trucks in Auchi.
Dangote Group, while announcing her death on Sunday said, arrangements had been made for her to be flown to India for advanced treatment, pending medical clearance from her doctors, but she died despite these efforts.
The Group also disclosed that since the accident, its officials and insurance partners have been by her side, covering all financial and medical costs and supporting her family.
While stating that safety, accountability, and compassion remain at the core of its operations, the Dangote Group, reiterated its unwavering commitment to strengthening its safety systems and supporting those affected in moments of tragedy.
Dangote Trucks Accident: What The Data Is Saying.
Aside from commiserating with the family, would the company vow that her death would be the last contributed by its trucks on Nigerian roads?
Data by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), showed over 5,421 people were killed in road traffic crashes across Nigeria in 2024, a seven per cent increase from the 5,081 fatalities recorded in 2023.
The corps’ data also revealed that while road crashes and injuries saw a slight reduction in 2024, the total number of people involved in accidents increased by one per cent, from 70,092 in 2023 to 70,530 in 2024.
FRSC also disclosed that between December 15, 2024, and January 15, 2025, a period covered by the special patrol, 402 lives were lost in road accidents. Among these incidents were five major crashes in Plateau, Abia, Kaduna, Kwara, and Ondo States, with the most devastating occurring in Jebba, Kwara State, where 30 people perished.
Sadly, Dangote trucks have been identified as leading among fleet operators in terms of accident casualties, with 65 casualties in Q1 2024 compared to 27 for the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
Available data shows that Dangote trucks’ Drivers also wasted more than 200 lives in 2023. This was blamed on lack of proper training of personnel and maintenance.
Measures Being Taken By The Company To Prevent Road Clashes
Just recently, about 1,500 Dangote Cement truck drivers were subjected to intensive screening exercises to ascertain their mental, psychological and physical fitness for safe driving.
Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak disclosed at the 2025 Annual Drivers Retreat held at Ilaro, Ogun state, that the screening exercise was not only made mandatory for the drivers, but was more intensive given the situation on the roads across the country.
The screening, according to the company, covers usage within a three-month detection window, ensuring identifying any history of substance use before employment, completion of a two-week intensive training programme, which consists of twelve safety modules, practical driving assessments, and written examinations.
“Every driver employed by Dangote Cement is required to undergo an extensive and rigorously structured recruitment process that includes: Valid Driver’s license class G, background verification of both the driver and their guarantors, comprehensive medical evaluation, including vision screening (eye test), blood pressure checks, BMI -body mass index, RBS – random blood sugar test as well as drug and alcohol testing.
“In the past two months alone, over 1,500 prospective drivers have successfully completed this process. Only those who met all required standards were engaged and certified to operate any Dangote Group vehicles. Our commitment to safety extends beyond recruitment. All drivers undergo mandatory pre-trip medical assessments, conducted by licensed nurses and doctors,” he said.
Pathak stated that the management of Dangote Cement Plc was irrevocably committed to training and retraining of its drivers for effectively safe and smooth driving across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
Pathak emphasised that as a leading cement manufacturer with thousands of trucks in its fleet, safety on the road remains the management’s priority.
The Dangote Cement boss stated that the company as regular road users understand its commitment to the safety of other road users and its responsibility to other members of the society, and reaffirmed the Company’s commitment to road safety, transparency, appropriate ethical conduct, and provision of detailed clarity on the comprehensive systems and procedures to mitigate against any incident along roads across the country.
According to him, “Dangote is a responsible organisation that consistently cooperates with the Nigeria Police and other relevant authorities in the investigation of reported incidents with support of all lawful processes, aimed at establishing the facts and routinely implementing recommendations that strengthen public safety.
Apart from the screening, the company disclosed that as part of efforts to promote safe driving and achieve zero road crashes, it has since begun installing cameras across its fleet of thousands of CNG trucks.
The company recently added 4,000 trucks to its number of fleets in preparation for the inter-direct distribution of petroleum products across the country.
As the company increases its fleet of trucks, experts have called for training and retraining of the truck drivers to reduce the bloodshed on Nigerian roads.
Safe driving skills would not only save lives, but millions of naira for the company, as a truck is valued at about N70 million.
