Driver fleeing from VIO kills pregnant woman in Jos

A heavily pregnant woman, identified as Ruth Nen Maurice, has died in a tragic road accident in Jos, Plateau State, after a driver allegedly trying to escape Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) officials lost control of his vehicle.

The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the city centre, where eyewitnesses said the driver was attempting a dangerous manoeuvre while evading a VIO checkpoint.

It was gathered that the deceased was standing by the roadside, waiting to board a vehicle to the hospital for antenatal care when she was struck.

A close friend of the victim, Ewan Boss Julz Odumu, who shared the news on Facebook on Wednesday, said the driver was speeding and trying to flee VIO operatives when he hit the pregnant woman.

Odumu, in an emotional post, lamented that Ruth was carrying twins and was close to delivery before her life was cut short by the accident, describing the incident as heartbreaking and avoidable.

He wrote that the unborn babies also did not survive, as the tragedy robbed the family of a mother and her twins.

Confirming the incident, the Plateau State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Alfred Alabo, said the driver has been arrested and an investigation has commenced.

He added that the suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the state Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer, Jonathan Zam, for comment were unsuccessful as calls and messages to his phone were not returned.