A devastating road crash on the Kano-Kaduna highway has claimed the lives of 22 people, according to officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The victims were members of the Kano State contingent returning from the National Sports Festival in Ogun State.
The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. at Gadar Yankifi in Garun Malam Local Government Area, involving a Toyota Coaster Bus with registration number KN041 A17.
The bus had 32 occupants, including 31 male adults and one female adult.
One of the survivors, Ado Salisu, confirmed to journalists that the accident happened just hours before they were expected to arrive in Kano.
“The team had been on the road since Thursday night, immediately after the conclusion of the National Sports Festival,” Salisu said
The FRSC Kano Sector Command issued a press statement, saying, “The injured victims, as well as the remains of the deceased, have been evacuated to Nasarawa Specialist Hospital in Kano,” CRC Abdullahi Labaran, Public Relations Officer said.
Sector Commander Corps Commander MB Bature expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
“This is a heartbreaking loss of lives,” he said. “We mourn with the families of the deceased and pray for the quick recovery of those injured, ” he added.
Bature reiterated the FRSC’s commitment to road safety and accident prevention.
“We strongly warn drivers to desist from dangerous practices like over-speeding, overloading, and flouting traffic rules.
”These behaviors continue to cause avoidable tragedies on our roads,” he said.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the crash was caused by factors yet to be fully confirmed, although authorities suspected over-speeding and possible driver fatigue or mechanical failure.
Authorities continue to investigate the exact cause of the accident .
