A tragic lone crash claimed the lives of at least 17 people at Takalafia village on the Yawuri Expressway in the Magama Local Government of Niger State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) spokesperson, Bisi Kazeem, disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that the crash occurred around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, involving a total of 229 individuals, including 220 male adults, four female adults, and five male children.
Investigations into the incident revealed that the crash, which involved a red-coloured commercial DAF trailer with the registration number SRZ446XA, was caused by a speed violation leading to a loss of control. The driver, Idi Doba, was identified as the operator of the trailer.
Of the total number of individuals involved, 206 male adults, one female adult, and one male child were rescued with varying degrees of injuries.
Unfortunately, 17 male adults lost their lives in the tragic incident.
The injured victims were promptly evacuated to the Kantagora General Hospital for immediate medical attention, while the deceased were placed in the mortuary of the same hospital.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, reiterated a stern warning to drivers of trailers and haulage vehicles against conveying passengers, emphasizing the significant danger such actions pose to the lives of passengers and other road users.
The call for increased vigilance and adherence to road safety regulations remains paramount to prevent such heartbreaking incidents on the nation’s roads.