3 Killed, 40 Injured As Truck Rams Into Roadside Crowd In Yobe

Three persons have been confirmed dead, while about 40 others sustained varying degrees of injuries after a canter truck rammed into people sitting by the roadside along the Gombe–Potiskum Road in Yobe State.

The crash occurred at about 2:30 pm on Wednesday near Badejo town in Potiskum Local Government Area of YobeState, a busy section of the expressway.

Eyewitnesses said the truck was travelling at high speed before the driver lost control and veered off the road, hitting several people seated by the roadside.

The Yobe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Paul Andrew, confirmed the incident.

“The crash occurred at about 2:30 pm near Badejo town along the Gombe–Potiskum expressway. It involved a Canter vehicle that rammed into people sitting by the roadside, causing multiple casualties,” Andrew said.

He disclosed that preliminary investigations identified overloading and speeding as the major causes of the accident.

“From our findings so far, the crash was caused by overloading and overspeeding. The driver lost control of the canter while negotiating the busy section of the road, leading to the deaths and injuries,” he explained.

Andrew added that the vehicle was heading to the Potiskum cattle market on a market day, a period usually characterised by heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

“The canter was going to the Potiskum cattle market, and there was heavy movement of people and vehicles along the route. Such conditions require extreme caution, but overloading and speeding continue to pose serious dangers,” he said.

He noted that FRSC operatives and other emergency responders promptly rescued the injured and took them to nearby hospitals for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were evacuated. The road was also cleared to prevent further accidents.

Andrew urged motorists to adhere strictly to traffic regulations, particularly on market days, warning that reckless driving habits such as speeding and overloading continue to cause avoidable loss of lives.

The Gombe–Potiskum Road is a major commercial route in the North-East and often witnesses intense roadside and vehicular activity during market days.