How two separate road crashes in Kebbi claimed 23 lives
Fatal Road Accidents Claim 23 Lives in Kebbi State
At least 23 people have died in two separate road accidents in Kebbi State, resulting in widespread mourning in both Kebbi and Sokoto states.
The first incident involved five youths from the Ambursa area of Birnin Kebbi, who were traveling to a friendly football match when their vehicle lost control and overturned along Airport Road. Several others were injured in the crash, which community members described as a devastating loss of promising young lives.
The Kebbi State Government responded to the tragedy by sending a delegation led by Alhaji Abubakar Umar Dutsinmari, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, to offer condolences on behalf of Governor Nasir Idris. Eyewitness accounts indicated that the governor, upon being informed of the accident, directed emergency measures for the injured.
Days later, another accident occurred on the Sokoto-Yauri Road involving an 18-seater commercial bus returning from Lagos to Sokoto. The bus collided head-on with a trailer, resulting in the deaths of 18 of the 20 occupants. Two survivors sustained injuries.
Reports indicated that many of the victims were returning home after seeking economic opportunities in Lagos. Bello Muhammad, a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, stated that rescuers arrived early Tuesday to find the bus heavily damaged, underscoring the severity of the collision. Eyewitness accounts from rescue workers described the scene as devastating, with several bodies severely disfigured.
Victims of this latest tragedy hailed from various communities in Sokoto State, including Shagari, Yabo, and Gada Local Government Areas.
Road safety experts continue to emphasize the need for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, improved vehicle maintenance, and better road infrastructure to prevent such fatal incidents in the future.