By  Oamen  Areguamen
LAGOS — A Lagos High Court has ordered Dangote Nigeria Limited to pay N5 million compensation to a deceased family, Solomon Ajayi, whose death resulted from an accident involving one of the company’s vehicles at Ketu, Lagos sometimes in August 2006.

Justice Opeyemi Oke, Wednesday, ordered the company to pay the money having found it culpable in the accident.  The deceased’s wife, Mrs. Christianah Ajayi, had instituted the action through her counsel,  seeking redress over the conduct of the company’s driver, which  resulted in the death of her husband.

The defendant’s driver, Mallam Abdulmumini, drove  a trailer with number plate XA 156 EKY, that  rammed into the deceased.

The court also ordered that Dangote to pay to the Ajayi family, N71, 200 being outstanding balance for medical and burial expenses incurred by the family.

The judge further awarded the cost of N100, 000 being the cost of litigation and ordered that the lawyer to the claimant should ensure that the money gets to the widow and children left behind by the deceased.

The claimants had claimed that Ajayi’s death on August 4, 2006 was as a result of  the negligence on the part of one Mallam Abdulmumini, a driver of one of the company’s articulated vehicle with registration number XA 156 EKY.

Justice Oke held; “It is trite that the law of negligence is founded on the law of reasonable conduct in every circumstance. A duty of care is owed by the driver to the deceased”.

She further said, “This case speaks for itself. The accident would not have happened if the second defendant had not swerved to the side of the road while trying to avoid a head on collision with a motorcyclist who was riding against traffic”.