Reverend Father,1 Female Passenger Die in Vehicle Accident in Niger State

A tragic incident happened along the Lapai-Gulu Road, on Saturday,claiming the lives of Reverend Father James Omeh, Parish Priest of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Gulu, and Coordinator of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Lapai Local Government Area, along with a female passenger.

FCNN gathered that Rev. Fr. Omeh was en route to Gulu at approximately 12:00 p.m. when he encountered the collapsed Lapai-Gulu bridge after passing Duma village. Unable to proceed, he attempted to turn back towards Duma. However, torrential rainfall and rapidly rising floodwaters created treacherous driving conditions.

Rev. Fr. Omeh, who was driving a white Hilux vehicle, was reportedly swept away by floodwaters into a deep, waterlogged gully. With the help of local volunteers and the Sarkin Ruwa, the vehicle was later recovered. The lifeless bodies of Rev. Fr. Omeh and the female passenger were retrieved at the scene, while one other individual remains unaccounted for.

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He was widely respected for his commitment to community peacebuilding. Just recently, he led a delegation of newly elected CAN Lapai executives on a courtesy visit to key stakeholders in the local government, including the Emir of Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida III, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), and the Local Government Chairman. The visit reaffirmed CAN’s dedication to promoting unity and peaceful coexistence in the area.