A fatal auto crash on the Kano-Ringim Road in Gabasawa Local Government Area has left 18 people dead and 12 others injured. According to the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kano State, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the accident occurred at Zakirai town on Friday evening.
Abdullahi stated that the accident involved two commercial vehicles carrying 35 passengers. The crash was due to excessive speeding, dangerous driving, and overloading, resulting in a head-on collision and one of the vehicles bursting into flames. Out of the 35 passengers, five escaped unhurt, 12 were injured and taken to Murtala Mohammed General Hospital in Kano, while 18 others were burnt beyond recognition.
Some of the bodies have already been buried in a mass grave at the scene of the accident, while the others were released to their families.
The sector commander explained that the FRSC had received a call about the accident at 8:35 p.m and immediately dispatched rescue teams to the location. He further advised road users, particularly intercity and interstate drivers, to avoid speeding, wrongful overtaking, overloading, dangerous driving, or any traffic violation that could lead to road crashes.
During his visit to the crash site on Saturday, Abdullahi expressed his regret at the magnitude of avoidable road crashes recorded in Kano State in the previous week. He also warned that mobile courts would operate stricter interventions on intercity roads in an attempt to reduce the rising number of auto crashes.
The fatal accident should act as a reminder to all drivers regarding the importance of road safety and to comply with traffic regulations.
