An auto crash in Zakirai town on the Kano-Ringim Road in Gabasawa Local Government Area of Kano State has claimed the lives of 18 passengers.
The incident, caused by overspeeding, dangerous driving, and overloading, involved two commercial vehicles and resulted in a head-on collision and the subsequent bursting into flames of one of the buses.
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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Kano State, Ibrahim Abdullahi, confirmed the tragic accident.
He said the incident happened on Friday evening.
“We received a call about the accident at about 8:35 p.m. on Friday and dispatched our personnel to the scene to rescue the victims” he said.
“The accident involved a total of 35 passengers in two buses, out of which 18 were burnt beyond recognition while 12 others sustained serious injuries.”
Expressing his condolences, Abdullahi lamented the magnitude of avoidable road crashes that have occurred in Kano State over the past week.
During a visit to the crash scene on Saturday, he warned motorists, particularly intercity and inter-state drivers, to refrain from overloading, excessive speeding, wrongful overtaking, and other traffic violations that could lead to such devastating accidents.
The injured victims were promptly transported to the Murtala Mohammed General Hospital in Kano for urgent medical attention.
Meanwhile, some of the deceased were given a mass burial at the accident scene, while others were handed over to their grieving relatives.
Considering the recent surge in road accidents, the FRSC has pledged to intensify public enlightenment campaigns and enforce stricter patrol interventions.
These efforts include the operation of mobile courts to swiftly address traffic violations and ensure compliance with road safety regulations.
The tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of the importance of responsible driving and adhering to traffic rules.
Motorists are urged to prioritize safety, and avoid over speeding, overloading, wrongful overtaking, and any behaviour that poses a risk to themselves and others on the road.
The local community and authorities are deeply saddened by the loss of lives in this devastating accident and stand united in their efforts to prevent further tragedies on the roads.
