Ruth Otabor, the younger sister of Big Brother Naija winner and actress Josephine Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has died following injuries sustained after being knocked down by a Dangote truck in Nigeria.
Ruth, who recently graduated, was amputated after the tragic accident and had been on admission in hospital. Sadly, she did not survive.
Eko Solicitors & Advocates, the law firm representing the late Ruth, Phyna, and the Otabor family, confirmed her passing in a statement released via Phyna’s verified Instagram account on Sunday, August 31, 2025.
“With a heavy heart, the family regrets to announce the passing on to glory of their daughter, sister, and mother on this 31st day of August, 2025, at about 06:30Hrs,” the statement read.
The law firm, represented by Justice Segun Ojienoh, added that the family is presently grieving and requested privacy, noting that funeral arrangements will be communicated in due course.
Call for Justice
Earlier, Phyna had passionately called for justice after her sister’s legs were crushed by the truck, leading to amputation. What was meant to be a time of celebration after Ruth’s graduation turned into tragedy.
In an emotional video shared online, Phyna broke down in tears, accusing the Dangote Group of showing indifference to her sister’s plight. She alleged that despite being informed, no representative of the company visited Ruth in the hospital immediately after the accident.
According to Phyna, when the family went to the police station to follow up on the case, they were told the Dangote manager was “on his way.” However, she claimed the manager went directly to the police station instead—to check on the truck driver involved in the accident—rather than visiting the victim.
Phyna also revealed the extent of her sister’s suffering, explaining that doctors had to surgically open Ruth’s stomach to manually remove waste because she was unable to relieve herself naturally.
