ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi-
No fewer than eight people were killed in two separate fatal crashes that occurred on Wednesday. Seventy others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the crashes.
NATIONAL ACCORD reports that six people were killed in the first accident involving 72 traders who were in a truck from Darazo LGA of Bauchi state on their way to Dukku market in Gombe state when the incident happened.
The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Bauchi State, Yusuf Abdullahi, who confirmed the accident to our correspondent in a telephone interview, said the FRSC had a tough time carrying out the rescue operation at the scene of the crash.
“There was a lone fatal today, 17th March, 2021 at about 9.10am at km 15, Kwannan Dallol along Darazon-Dukku road”.
“The accident involved b72 people, all males, who were in a commercial Mercedes Benz 911 truck with number plate: AA476MSA, driven by one Alhaji Sai’du Misau, going to Dukku market”.
“The truck skidded off the road and threw the people away. They were hung on the truck. Six of them were killed while 54 others sustained varying degrees of injuries”.
“It took us (FRSC) hours to carry out the rescue operation. The probable cause of the crash was dangerous overtaking,” he stated.
According to him, the victims were conveyed to the General Hospital Darazo for medical attention while the six dead bodies were deposited at the mortuary pending when they would be released to their loved ones for burial.
He warned drivers to use their vehicles for the specific purposes they were meant for.
He said: “I want to call on drivers to desist form using trucks to convey people. These trucks are not meant to carry people but they were made to carry goods.
“They should always carry their goods in the truck and then use another vehicle to go and get their goods wherever they are going to because this is safer and better “
Our Correspondent learnt that in the second accident which happened on the same date at about 10.50am at Dungulbi Village, along Bauchi-Gombe road, 10kms away from Bauchi metropolis, two female adults including a nursing mother, were killed.
It was learnt that several people who sustained varying degrees of injuries were rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) for medical treatment.
The accident involved a Toyota Hummer bus belonging to the National Tourism Development Commission (NTDC) which had a head on collision with a Sharon commercial bus conveying passengers to Gombe.
Officials of the Federal Roads Safety Corps FRSC, Policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad RRS of the Bauchi State Command and villagers participated in the rescue operation.
Our Correspondent gathered the NTDC staff who were driving in a Hummer Bus were heading back to Abuja having spent some days at the Yankari Game Reserve and Safari on official assignment.
It was gathered that the crash occurred when the Hummer bus, in the process of overtaking a heavy duty truck, had a head-on collision with an oncoming Sharon commercial bus which few minutes before loaded passengers in Bauchi heading to Gombe.
Confirming the incident, the FRSC Sector Commander, said it was caused by “wrongful overtaking.”
Abdullahi informed that the victims and the corpses were evacuated and taken to the ATBU Teaching Hospital for treatment and confirmation.
“The accident involved two vehicles, a Government Toyota Hummer Bus with registration number: FG25C04 and a commercial Ford car with number plate: KTG 808 TT”.
“A total of 18 people were involved comprising of 11 male adults, five female adults, one male child and one female child”.
“When our men were called, they rushed to the scene and rushed them to the hospital and it was there, at the hospital, that a medical doctor confirmed two female adults dead while the remaining 16 people are receiving treatment in the same hospital,” he said.
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