23 Killed, 2 Injured in Jigawa Auto Crash

23 people have been confirmed dead in two separate accidents that occurred on Tuesday, 29th December, in Jigawa State.

The first accident took place around 2 pm in Dutse, the state capital. Eighteen individuals have been confirmed dead, and two others are in critical condition.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Jigawa State Police Command, SP Shisu Lawal, stated that the accident occurred at Danmasara Quarters along the Dutse-Kiyawa Road. He explained that the fatal incident happened when the driver of a Volkswagen Golf 3 (Registration No. KYW 500 XA) lost control, collided with a street light, and swerved into the opposite lane. There, it collided with another red Golf 3 (Registration No. RAN 836 XA). An oncoming tipper truck (Registration No. BUU 289 XA) then crushed both vehicles.

SP Shisu noted that sixteen passengers died at the scene, while two others later succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Two victims remain alive.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased—ten males and eight females—were from Fake village in the Kiyawa Local Government Area.

However, a few hours after the report of the accident that killed 18 people in Dutse, another accident occurred in Bandawa village of Ringim Local Government Area, where five individuals have been confirmed dead.

The spokesperson of the state police command, SP Shisu, revealed this in a press statement issued in Dutse.

He said, “Today, Tuesday, 30th December, at approximately 17:00 hours, there was a lone fatal motor vehicle accident at Bandawa village, Ringim LGA, involving an ash Honda Accord (Registration No. ABJ 730 AX), driven by one Yunusa Hassan, a 27-year-old from Babura LGA, who was travelling from Kano to Babura town, conveying a family of six: five women and one male, including the driver.

“When the driver attempted to dodge a goat crossing the road, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree beside the road.”

“As a result, all the occupants sustained various degrees of injury. The victims were rushed to the nearest hospital, where five individuals were confirmed dead by the medical doctor on duty. Meanwhile, the remaining two occupants sustained fractures,” Shisu revealed.

The Jigawa State Police Command, under the leadership of CP Dahiru Muhammad, psc, fdc, extends its condolences to the families and relatives of the deceased. We pray for Allah’s forgiveness and mercy for the departed souls and a swift recovery for the injured. The CP also prays to Almighty Allah to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring, as SP Shisu stated.