By Friday Olokor, Abuja
Monday, 9 May 2011
A major tragedy on Saturday befell the family of the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, whose wife, Mimi, died after a big tree fell on her at her family home in Alu Village, Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Although her age could not be ascertained as at press time, the incident was said to have occurred at about 8pm during a rainstorm.
One of the trees in the compound was said to have fallen during the rainstorm and landed on the couple.
The fate of the CJN could not also be ascertained, although a source said he wasn’t killed. A source at the Judicial Service Commission, in Abuja, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Sunday evening, refused to confirm whether the CJN was also affected.
Confusion was said to have enveloped the community over what residents described as a “strange development.”
It was further gathered that the entire village had been thrown into mourning as a result of the tragedy.
A delegation of Benue State Government has visited the family to pay condolence on behalf of Governor Gabriel Suswam.
The couple were said to be under a mango tree when a strong wind began to blow. A source privy to the incident said that Mimi then stood up and ran towards the main building when a heavy tree branch fell and hit her on the head.
Another branch was said to have knocked the CJN to the ground after hitting him on the back. The source said that if Katsina-Alu had not fallen, he could have suffered a fate similar to his wife’s because a bigger branch later fell and shattered his empty chair.
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