Ten passengers of a goods trailer lost their lives in a road crash in Niger State, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said.
Felicia Kalu, the acting Corps Public Education Officer at the FRSC headquarters in Abuja, said in a press statement that the crash, which occurred at about 8:20 a.m. along the Tafa–Gujeni route at Malam Tanko, involved a DAF truck with registration number FKY136XD, conveying 33 male occupants.
According to her, preliminary investigations revealed 10 persons lost their lives, 20 sustained varying degrees of injury, while three were rescued unhurt.
Kalu said the incident “highlights the grave consequences of non compliance with established safety regulations, particularly excessive speeding and the unlawful conveyance of passengers alongside goods.”
She added: “Available evidence indicates that the crash was caused by excessive speed, which led to loss of control.
“More disturbing, however, is the fact that the vehicle was engaged in the highly dangerous and illegal act of mixed loading, transporting both goods and human beings in the same vehicle; a practice the Corps has consistently warned against due to its catastrophic consequences.”
FRSC operatives responded promptly to distress calls, successfully rescuing 23 victims alive and clearing the obstruction to restore free flow of traffic.
The injured victims were immediately evacuated to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua General Hospital, Sabon Wuse, for medical attention, while the remains of the deceased were deposited at the hospital’s mortuary.
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, expressed deep concern over the incident, describing it as avoidable and a painful reminder of the consequences of traffic violations.
He reiterated that no journey is worth the loss of human lives and condemned in strong terms the continued disregard for safety advisories by some road users.
He further emphasised that the Corps will intensify enforcement and public enlightenment campaigns to curb excessive speeding and eradicate the menace of mixed loading across the nation’s highways.
The Corps Marshal extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes the injured victims speedy recovery.
Kalu said: “To this end, transport operators and drivers are therefore strongly advised to comply with safety regulations, maintain prescribed speed limits, and desist from using inappropriate vehicles for passenger conveyance.”
She urged members of the public to remain safety conscious at all times, “as road safety is a shared responsibility.”
