Juliana Taiwo, Abuja and Seriki Adinoyi
23 May 2008
Jos — Poor visibility caused the gruesome accident that led to the death of one officer and 45 Nigerian soldiers on the Kari-Potiskuim-Maiduguri road Wednesday night, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said yesterday.
The death of the soldiers has caused President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to cut short his trip to Arusha, Tanzania, where he is attending the African Union's Committee of 12 meeting. He will return home early today in honour of the dead soldiers.
Yesterday, soldiers were still searching the scene of the accident for the mutilated parts of their colleagues who died in the ghastly road accident.
The dead soldiers, including a captain, were returning from peace-keeping operations in Dafur, Sudan, when their bus collided with a petrol tanker.
The Commander of FRSC in Potiskum, Yobe State, Mr Victor Osuhor, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the tanker lost control and rammed into the last of seven military trucks travelling in a convoy to Borno State.
The tanker dragged the truck several metres before the two vehicles burst into flames, killing the soldiers, the tanker driver and his passenger.
"Forty-four bodies were evacuated between 2.30 am and 3 am and conveyed to Bauchi while two others were recovered this morning at about 9 am," Osuhor said.
Sympathisers from the local community and motorists shed tears as soldiers and FRSC officials searched for the burnt human parts at the scene.
The Yobe Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr Emmanuel Ekekwe, who was also at the scene, said the command had deployed more personnel in the scene to remove the vehicles.
Motorists had to divert through the bush to continue their journey.
The military trucks were heading to Monguno in Borno State before the accident.
Ekekwe said poor visibility was responsible for the crash.
"The two vehicles crashed and there was a fire, the people inside were burned. Both drivers also died," he said, disclosing that the petrol tanker was empty.
Maj. Gen. Luka Yusuf, the Chief of Army Staff, said that the next-of-kin of the departed soldiers had been contacted and arrangements put in place for the internment of the deceased with full military honours at Abuja today.
"The government assures the families that their gallant ones died serving the nation and their sacrifices will not be in vain," he said.
He prayed God to give the families the fortitude to bear the loss.
Yusuf, who left Abuja yesterday for the scene of the accident, described the tragedy as sad.
He said: "These fine gallant soldiers of 244 Battalion were returning to their Unit in Monguno, Borno State from Abuja where they arrived on Tuesday May 20, after serving six months with the UN Peace Keeping Mission in Sudan."
The Army Headquarters has, however, announced there would be an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Describing the accident as a national calamity, Yusuf, who arrived Bauchi Airport at about 11.30 am yesterday morning aboard a military plane from where he left for the scene of the accident, expressed deep sorrow.
He immediately proceeded to the accident scene in company with the acting Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Mohammed Gadi, the Commandant of the Bauchi Armoured Corps Centre, Major General Saleh Maina, and other top military officers who all expressed their heartfelt sympathy.
One of the officers in the entourage of the Army chief who spoke briefly with journalists at the airport said: "This is really a big tragedy for us and it will remain in our memories for a very long time, just as it has reminded us of similar tragedies that have befallen us in the past", possibly referring to the September 2006 plane crash in Benue State that claimed the lives of some top military officers.
The charred bodies of the deceased soldiers and officer were deposited at the Bauchi Specialist Hospital on Thursday morning, even as arrangements were being concluded to bury their remains.
Yar'Adua said yesterday that he received "with sadness news of the tragic death of 46 Nigerian soldiers in a ghastly road accident on their return to the country after meritorious national service in Sudan's Darfur Region".
He said he deeply regrets that having bravely confronted and survived the hazards of service in strife-ridden Darfur, "the gallant soldiers returned home only to lose their lives in a dreadful motor collision on their way back to their base".
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Communications, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, quoted the President as saying that the accidental death "of these brave soldiers whilst on national service is an immense loss to the country".
Adeniyi said that the President had directed the Defence Headquarters and the Nigerian Army authorities to convey his personal condolences to the families of the dead soldiers and make appropriate arrangements to give them a befitting burial.
He also said that President Yar'Adua further directed that "immediate compassionate action be taken to alleviate the colossal trauma of their shocking deaths on their spouses, children and other dependants".
Also in a statement yesterday, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan described as shocking, the news of the death of the 46 Nigerian soldiers.
"These gallant Nigerian soldiers had just been re-inducted from the AU Peace Mission, where they had served meritoriously, and flown our nation's banner with pride and distinction. Death remains an enduring paradox. If not, how can it be that men, who without hesitation, have time and again, risked life and limb in the defence of the honour of our nation and flag, be cut down so casually in an automobile accident just a few miles away from home!" the VP said.
"It is with great sadness that I join the President, the Minister of Defence, the Nigerian Military High Command, as well as all Nigerians, to mourn the passage of these exemplary patriots. I grieve with the families that have lost breadwinners and loved ones. I pray the Almighty to give each and every one of them the fortitude to bear the loss. I urge them all to remain steadfast in faith in God and fatherland, so that these gallant heroes wouldn't have lived and died in vain," he said.
Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Andrew Azazi, said yesterday in a statement that flags would be flown at half mast and all activities in the Ministry of Defence and Defence Headquarters cancelled in honour of the departed soldiers.
"The tragic incident occurred when two of the trucks conveying the returning soldiers from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja collided with a tanker and exploded in flames. Five soldiers also sustained injuries and are already receiving treatment in the hospital," Azazi said.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
