Road Accident Claims 25 Lives In Niger
In what has become a regular but unfortunate occurrence in the country, tragedy again struck early on Tuesday night with at least 25 lives lost in an auto crash at Takalafia, a village along Yawuri Expressway, in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State.
Reports indicate that the crash, which took place around 3:00 a.m., involved a speeding DAF articulated vehicle whose driver subsequently lost control in the process of trying to dodge a pothole on the road.
The Public Education Officer of The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Bisi Kazeem, who is a Deputy Corps Marshal, confirmed the accident in a statement yesterday.
According to the reports, the trailer, which departed from Sokoto State, was heading to Lagos with about 229 passengers, consisting of men, women, and children, on board.
It was also reliably gathered that 25 persons died on the spot while those who sustained various degrees of injuries are currently receiving treatment at the Kantagora General Hospital. This is even as an eyewitness confirmed that the remains of those who lost their lives in the incident have been deposited at the mortuary of the same hospital.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has condoled with the families of those who died in the accident and prayed for the repose of their souls.
A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, described the incident as a harrowing tragedy and directed the agency responsible for emergency response to immediately intervene in alleviating the challenges of the victims.
The President also directed the agency to move in and ensure that those injured in the tragic accident got the necessary treatment at the highest quality and with alacrity, just as he urged citizens to be vigilant and safety conscious while traveling during this festive season and always.
Also, the Chief Press Secretary to Niger State governor, Bologi Ibrahim, said in a statement issued in Minna, the State capital that the governor was saddened by the magnitude of the crash and cautioned drivers to always obey traffic rules and regulations to reduce accidents on the nation’s roads