18 Sokoto travellers killed in Kebbi road crash while returning from Lagos
At Least 18 Dead in Sokoto State Road Accident
A tragic road accident occurred late Monday night along the Sokoto-Yauri highway in Kebbi State, claiming the lives of at least 18 individuals from Sokoto State. The victims were traveling home from Lagos, where they sought employment opportunities.
The accident involved an 18-seater commercial bus that reportedly collided head-on with a trailer around 11 p.m. Eighteen passengers were killed at the scene, while two others sustained injuries.
Witnesses indicate that the passengers were returning to Sokoto after spending time in Lagos in search of a better livelihood. Bello Muhammad, a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), assisted in evacuating the victims upon learning of the accident.
“We were informed that our colleague had been involved in a road accident shortly after Yauri town. By the time we arrived, 18 people had already died and the vehicle was completely wrecked,” Muhammad said.
The bodies were transported to the General Hospital in Yauri, where relatives were able to identify them before they were released for burial. Muhammad noted that he personally took the bodies from Kajiji Ward back to their communities.
Among the deceased were the driver, Manniru Sabo, and several other local residents. Seven victims hailed from Bingaje and Gudirriga villages in Yabo Local Government Area, while two others were from Gada Local Government Area. The remaining casualties came from various communities across Sokoto State.
“Passengers traveling from Lagos to Sokoto are usually picked up from different locations in Sokoto, which is why the victims came from various areas within the state,” Muhammad explained.
Due to the severity of their injuries, many of the victims were buried in Yauri, while those transported to Kajiji had already been interred in accordance with Islamic rites. One of the survivors was reportedly the bus conductor.
Alhaji Shehu Jabo, another resident who helped transport the bodies and participated in the funeral prayers, described the event as heartbreaking. “We were overwhelmed with grief because many of the bodies were badly mangled. It was difficult to recognize some of them,” he said.
Jabo claimed the trailer swerved into the bus’s lane before the collision. He noted that one passenger was from Kebbi State, while the others were residents of Sokoto.
Barrister Maidawa Kajiji, Chairman of the Shagari Local Government Area, confirmed the accident and offered condolences to the families affected.