As Nigeria closes in on one of the most important elections the nation has ever undergone, much violence, and voting issues have caused many setbacks and deaths in the past few weeks. According to witnesses, at least twenty people died as the result of a car crash in which a fuel tanker rammed into the back of multiple cars waiting in line at a police checkpoint in Narabi located in central Nigeria. The crash occurred last Friday as people were waiting between the borders of the Plateau and Bauchi states in the "middle belt", an incredibly fertile region of Nigeria. Some twenty cars exploded into flames as a result of the crash within the two lane highway. The crash could have been prevented had it not been for the upcoming elections. The roadblock was only set up temporarily as part of heightened security measures taken in the previous week and the next two weeks. According to officials Nigeria is prone to lethal car crashes because of the poor quality and maintenance of roads and because many people often ignore traffic regulations and speed limits.
This horrific car crash is a testament to many issues currently occurring in Nigeria. At it's most basic, it is a reflection of common policy issues as many people completely neglect traffic regulations which are implemented to make the roads safer for drivers. In addition it is a reflection of a combination of common policy issues and faltering economic status and how the state distributes it's capital. The state needs to do a more effective job distributing it's money to lesser developed regions to improve road conditions to prevent mass casualties as a result of car crashes like this one. Lastly, this example is a reflection of political participation in Nigeria. While most countries do take extra precautions in times of elections, had it not been for the ensuing violence as a result of the presidential elections, the country would not have needed to set up police checkpoints such as this one.
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