A tragic road accident has reportedly claimed no fewer than seventeen lives in Niger State.
The disturbing accident happened at Takalafia, a village on the Yawuri Expressway in the Magama Local Government Area of the state.
Confirming the incident, the state Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) spokesperson, Bisi Kazeem, said on Wednesday that an investigation into the lone crash revealed that it occurred around 3 p.m. on Tuesday and involved a total of 229 people, comprising 220 male adults, four female adults, and five male children.
According to him, from that number, 206 male adults, one female adult, and one male child were rescued with different degrees of injuries, while a total of 17 male adults died in the disturbing accident.
The crash involving a red-colored commercial DAF trailer with the license plate SRZ446XA, driven by Idi Doba, was attributed to a speed violation that led to a loss of control, as stated by the witness.
The injured individuals were promptly transported to Kontagora General Hospital for immediate medical attention, while the deceased victims were taken to the hospital’s mortuary.
Furthermore, the statement emphasized that the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, once again cautioned trailer and haulage vehicle drivers against carrying passengers in their vehicles due to the inherent risks they pose to the lives of both passengers and other road users.