At least 21 people have lost their lives in a tragic road accident that occurred on Sunday at Dakatsalle, along the Kano-Zaria highway.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kano confirmed the incident in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Labaran.
He said the crash happened at about 8:23 a.m. and involved a DAF trailer (registration number GWL 422 ZE) and a Toyota Hummer bus (registration number KMC 171 YM).
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the crash was caused by a route violation by the Hummer bus driver, resulting in a head-on collision with the trailer. The impact led to a fire outbreak that engulfed both vehicles,” the statement read.
A total of 24 passengers were involved in the accident. Twenty-one died on the spot, while three others sustained injuries of varying severity.
The charred remains of the deceased were evacuated to Nassarawa Hospital Mortuary in Kano, while the injured were rushed to Garun Malam General Hospital for treatment.
FRSC officials, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police, later cleared the wreckage and restored normal traffic flow along the route.
The Corps expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
It also urged motorists to avoid dangerous driving practices such as route violations, reckless overtaking, and night travel.