No fewer than 18 persons, including children, have been confirmed dead in a road traffic accident along the Dutse–Kwanar Babaldu highway in Jigawa.
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state, Mr Umar Matazu, confirmed the incident on Tuesday in Dutse.
Matazu said the accident involved three vehicles and occurred after a Volkswagen bus conveying passengers reportedly suffered a tyre burst while in motion.
“A fatal accident occurred from Dutse to Kwanar Babaldu where three vehicles were involved,” he said.
He explained that the tyre burst caused the driver of the bus to lose control, leading to a collision with another vehicle approaching from the opposite direction.
“A Volkswagen carrying passengers had its tyre burst and lost control, colliding with another vehicle coming from the opposite direction. Unfortunately, a truck ran into the two vehicles and crushed them,” Matazu stated.
The sector commander said preliminary reports indicated that the crash resulted in heavy casualties.
“So far, 18 people are confirmed dead. The victims include male and female adults as well as children,” he said.
According to him, emergency responders and security personnel were immediately deployed to the scene to rescue survivors and clear the road for traffic.
He added that the injured victims were taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment, while the remains of the deceased were evacuated.
Matazu urged motorists to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before embarking on journeys and to adhere strictly to speed limits to prevent avoidable tragedies.
