The Bauchi State Sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Monday confirmed that 20 people died, while seven others sustained varying degrees of injuries in two separate accidents that occurred in the state on Sunday.
The Sector Commander, Yusuf Abdullahi, confirmed this to journalists in Bauchi, informing them that the accident occurred at Bambal village on the Kano-Jama’are highway and Duhuwar Kura village, on the Azare-Zaki road respectively.
According to the sector commander, the two separate accidents occurred 30 minutes apart and at the two different locations, adding that they were a result of speed violation.
He said that the first accident involving a Volkswagen Golf car and a Bajaj Boxer motorcycle occurred at 6.30 pm at Duhuwar Kura village on Azare-Zaki road, adding that four passengers lost their lives, while seven others were injured.
According to Abdullahi, the Volkswagen Golf car was driven by one Abubakar Haruna, adding that the accident happened as a result of speed violation and overloading.
“There were 11 people involved in the crash, comprising of nine male adults, one female adult and one female child.
“After the crash, the victims were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Azare, for confirmation and treatment, where a medical doctor confirmed four male adults dead.
“Those injured included five male adults, one female adult and one female child,” he said.
Abdullahi further said that the second accident, which occurred as a result of a head-on collision between an 18-seater Toyota Hummer bus and a trailer, occurred at about 7.00 pm at Bambal Village on Kano-Jama’are highway.
He said that the 18-seater bus collided with the trailer with registration number MAD710XA and it went up in flames, adding that all passengers were burnt beyond recognition.
Abdullahi informed that 16 people, made up of 10 males and six females, were burnt to death in the fatal crash.
“The crash was caused by speed violation. There were 16 people involved in this crash comprising 10 male adults and six female adults.
“The Hummer bus rammed into a moving trailer and it went into flames, killing all the occupants on board. The corpses were taken to the General Hospital, Kiyawa, where a medical doctor confirmed them dead,” the sector commander said.
He lamented that the accidents are terrible, saying that, “these accidents are very terrible. These crashes are very disturbing.”
He decried reckless driving on part of drivers, adding that, “the unfortunate thing is that these people drive pass through our routes. You know the Azare-Kano road is dualised, so they drive recklessly.
“The problem is speed; they don’t drive within the approved speed limits. It is very unfortunate.”
He urged road users, particularly drivers, to always avoid overloading and over speeding, adding that road traffic rules and regulations should always be obeyed.
In his words, the sector commander said, “We call on drivers to avoid overloading and over speeding. They should also observe road traffic rules and regulations so that lives and properties that are lost in these crashes will be minimised.”