The 9th House of Representatives has been thrown into mourning as a member representing Bassa/Jos North constituency, Haruna Maitala, his son, driver and one other person died on Friday in an accident along the Abuja-Keffi highway in Nasarawa State.

Maitala’s demise brought the number of members of the House who died to five since December 2019.

The lawmaker was said to have died while travelling to Jos for his son’s wedding scheduled for Saturday, April 3.

The House of Reps lost two members in December 2019; one in February 2021 and another member in March 2021, before the latest incident.

The first member to die was Jafaru Illiyasu Auna, who represented Rijau/Magama federal constituency of Niger State. Others were Muhammadu Adamu Fagen Gawo (Garki/Babura constituency of Jigawa State), Ossy Prestige (Aba North/South constituency of Abia State) and Yuguda Hassan Kila (Gwaram constituency of Jigawa State).

Reacting to the latest incident, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Idris Wase, expressed deep shock, saying he had lost a brother and colleague.

Wase, in a statement by his chief press secretary, Umar Muhammad Puma, noted that the late Maitala was a hardworking, dedicated and honest politician, who died when his services were needed most.

Similarly, the member representing Mangu/Bokkos federal constituency of Plateau State, Solomon Maren, described the death of Maitala as devastating.