A fatal road accident on the Kano-Kaduna Expressway has resulted in the loss of 16 lives, with four individuals sustaining various degrees of injuries.
The tragic incident involved a passenger bus travelling from Kano to Makurdi in Benue State, and it occurred at Taban Sani Junction, Tashar Yari along the Zaria-Kano expressway at 11:20 am on Sunday.
The Kaduna Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kabir Nadabo, attributed the lone accident to overspeeding, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a ditch.
According to the statement issued by Nadabo, “An initial investigation of the crash revealed that 20 people were involved, 4 were injured, and sadly, 16 people lost their lives. The injured were conveyed to Makarfi General Hospital for immediate treatment, while the deceased were deposited at ABU Teaching Hospital, Shika, in Zaria, along with the passenger manifest to help in identifying the lost ones and reaching out to their families respectively.”
Expressing sadness over the incident, the FRSC stressed its commitment to saving lives and creating awareness about road safety.
Kaduna State, being a critical corridor, has established safety measures to guide transporters on the importance of safe travels.
The sector commander urged stakeholders, especially transport unions, to collaborate in advocating for safety, noting that the FRSC, in collaboration with transport unions, is sensitising passengers on the need to observe and caution drivers regarding excess speeding, wrongful overtaking, and overloading.
“As part of proactive measures, the FRSC in Kaduna State is working with media outlets to inform the public about the dangers of dangerous driving, overloading, driving with worn-out tires, and fatigue caused by long journeys” Nadabo said.
