Falling tree kills CJN’s wife

Falling tree kills CJN’s wife
•Katsina-Alu escapes death

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, had a close shave with death last Saturday night when a tree fell on his house as he and his wife were about retiring into their bedroom for the night.

But his wife, Victoria Mimi Katsina-Alu, was not as lucky as the tree fell on her, killing her instantly while one of the branches hit the Chief Justice on the waist. A family member, Mr. Ajiryar Katsina-Alu, told journalists that the Katsina-Alus who sat outdoors had a late dinner and were about to go indoors when rain winds started to blow.

“She stood up and told her husband that they should go indoors and was steps ahead when the wind uprooted one of the gmalina trees in the compound which fell on her as she was about stepping into the house.”
According to Mr. Katsina-Alu, the tree also cut the branches of another nearby tree which fell on, and upturned the chair on which the Chief Justice was sitting pushing him to the ground.

While the CJN sustained minor injuries, his wife who would have turned 54 next month was picked up unconscious and rushed to Myom Hospital in Gboko where she was confirmed dead, the family member said. Her body had since been deposited at the Gboko General Hospital’s mortuary. Mrs. Katsina-Alu died on the day she supervised the wedding of her niece, Erdoo Akaa and her husband Terseer Ado, at the Victory Saints Church in Alu village. She was said to be in her best elements attending to guests until late in the evening.

Meanwhile, sympathizers had thronged the Katsina-Alu country home in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State to commiserate with the Chief Justice. The early callers included Senator George Akume, a former Governor of the state, Chief Steven Lawani, Deputy Governor, Mr. Justice Iorhemen Hwande, Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Margaret Igbetar, President, Customary Court of Appeal, Barrister Chive Kaave, Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, as well as Julius Shaukpar, Chairman, Ushongo Local Government Council.

Others included Sebastian Hon, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Thaddeus Asua, and Polycarp Kwahar, High Court judges, Mr. Shaapera Naako, Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources as well as proprietor of Royal Choice Inn, Mr. Felix Akiga.