A female Point of Sale (POS) operator was killed on Monday after she was struck by a commercial bus near the Total filling station in the Berger area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Eyewitnesses said the bus driver was allegedly being chased by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) when the accident occurred.
According to witnesses, the woman had crossed the road after buying food when the speeding coaster bus rammed into her, throwing her across the road and leaving her with fatal injuries. Neither the driver nor the FRSC officials reportedly stopped at the scene.
An eyewitness, identified as Johnson, said the incident happened in the morning while the FRSC vehicle and the commercial bus were moving at high speed.
“The woman who was killed is a POS operator in the area. She came very early, went to buy food, and was trying to cross near the Total filling station when FRSC officials were chasing a coaster bus at high speed. The bus hit her and threw her to the other side of the road.
The driver did not stop. The FRSC vehicle also did not stop. They continued chasing the bus. Her body lay on the road for several minutes before police arrived,” he said.
Johnson added that the woman had already died by the time officers from the Utako Police Division arrived at the scene. He also said a bystander recorded the incident and showed the video to the police.
A local newspaper vendor in the area confirmed the incident, stating that both the commercial bus and the FRSC vehicle fled immediately after the crash.
Another eyewitness noted that high-speed chases involving commercial drivers and FRSC patrol teams are common in the area, adding that a similar chase occurred on Saturday but did not result in casualties due to fewer pedestrians.
“The incident happened around the NNPC area, opposite the Total filling station. Both the FRSC vehicle and the coaster bus were moving very fast. The bus hit the woman and continued. None of the vehicles stopped,” he said.
Reacting to the incident, Felix Theman, the FCT Sector Commander of the FRSC, said the Corps has launched an investigation to determine whether any of its patrol vehicles were involved.
“I have received a report similar to yours, and we are currently investigating the matter. I have recalled all patrol teams, especially those within the central area, Zone 7, and surrounding locations, to confirm whether any of our vehicles were involved,” Theman said.
He added that the FRSC would issue a public statement once investigations are concluded, noting that some drivers often assume they are being chased even when no patrol is taking place.
“There are situations where people mistake staff vehicles for patrol units and begin to flee, even when no enforcement is happening. We are verifying all details before drawing conclusions,” he explained.
The incident has sparked renewed concerns over high-speed enforcement chases and pedestrian safety in Abuja, particularly in busy commercial areas.
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