Nigerian Social Media Activist Alleges Dangote Group Abandoned Accident Victim with N5 Million Medical Bill
A social media activist in Nigeria has brought attention to the plight of a 22-year-old woman allegedly abandoned by the Dangote Group after being involved in an accident with one of the company’s truck drivers. Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, shared a video on Instagram showing the hospitalized victim, who has accumulated medical bills exceeding N5 million.
According to Otse, the victim has been receiving treatment at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Auchi, Edo State, for 11 months. He claims that Dangote Group has abandoned her, failing to provide any support or assistance. The activist joined a protest against the movement of Dangote’s trucks in Auchi, demanding that the company takes responsibility for the victim’s medical expenses.
“We met an abandoned victim of Dangote’s reckless unlicensed driver, a 22-year-old girl, who was going for her project and was crushed,” Otse wrote on Instagram. “She has been in the hospital for 11 months with bills of over 5 million naira; Dangote has abandoned her. Let the world know that we will not be allowing any Dangote trucks today in Auchi if all victims of Dangote’s unlicensed truck drivers are not properly taken care of.”
This incident comes shortly after Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner Phyna Otabor called out Dangote Group for a similar accident involving her sister, Ruth. Dangote Group has since pledged to cover Ruth’s medical expenses.
The accidents involving Dangote Group’s trucks have raised concerns about the company’s safety record, particularly as it prepares to deploy 4,000 new compressed natural gas trucks for direct fuel distribution nationwide. However, the scheme, initially planned to begin on August 15, has been delayed due to issues with truck numbering, according to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
Dangote Refinery has confirmed taking delivery of shipments of the new trucks but has yet to commence its fuel and diesel distribution scheme. The company has not responded to the allegations made by Otse, and it remains unclear whether they will take responsibility for the victim’s medical expenses.
