The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclosed that seven people died and 70 others were injured in a road crash on Sunday along Hadejia Road at Kwannar Danja, Kano State.
The accident occurred around 8:33 am and involved a DAF trailer with registration number KTG 467 YG. FRSC Public Relations Officer Abdullahi Labaran said 105 persons were involved in the crash, which was classified as a single-vehicle fatal accident.
Labaran noted that the corps received a distress call at 8:35 am and arrived at the scene by 8:40 am, recording a response time of five minutes.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the crash was caused by over-speeding and loss of control, worsened by the dangerous practice of carrying passengers alongside goods in a commercial vehicle.
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"The road condition was observed to be good, and no items were recovered at the scene," he added.
The injured victims were immediately taken to four hospitals across the state for treatment.
Sir Sunusi Specialist Hospital, Kano, received 24 victims (17 males, seven females), while Gezawa General Hospital also treated 24 (16 males, eight females). Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital received 20 male victims, and Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital in Nasarawa admitted seven victims (five males, two females).
Daily Trust visited some of the hospitals and found that several patients had already been discharged, while others left unnoticed.
A staff member at Muhammadu Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital said, "They were referred since yesterday (Sunday); we normally don't keep them here."
Patients at Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital were reported as inaccessible at the time of the visit.
The FRSC continues to urge drivers to avoid over-speeding and the risky practice of mixed loading to prevent such fatal accidents.
Driver at large, to be prosecuted - FRSC
FRSC said the driver involved in Sunday's Kano road crash remains at large and will be prosecuted for reckless driving.
Speaking to Daily Trust, FRSC Public Relations Officer Abdullahi Labaran said the lone-vehicle accident was likely caused by rough and careless driving.
"According to available information, the driver is known for reckless driving. We are investigating and shall prosecute him. The truck was overloaded with passengers paying just N500 to Gujungu, which explains why so many people were on board," Labaran said. He added that the prosecution would serve as a deterrent to other drivers.
How we arrived at 30 casualties - State gov't
Earlier, the Kano State Government had reported that 30 persons died in the crash, prompting Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to order free medical treatment for survivors and deploy medical and humanitarian teams.
His spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, explained the discrepancy in figures, noting that some local sources were untrained and might have mistakenly counted fainted persons as deceased.
"The Local Government officials collected the information, but they are not trained personnel, so it's possible that someone who fainted was mistakenly counted as dead. They have just updated me on the situation. Some individuals have indeed died, and I am sending funds to cover the amputation of one patient either tonight or tomorrow morning," he said.
Daily Trust gathered that most of the travellers were businessmen, retailers, and labourers who regularly travelled to the weekly market.
"Most of them usually went to the market weekly to sell or buy items, while some went to do labour work to earn money," said commercial driver Auwalu Muhammad.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, in a statement, described the incident as painful and heartbreaking, praying for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives and a speedy recovery for the injured.
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"I mourn the passing of over 30 persons who reportedly died in a tragic road accident at Kwanar Barde. May Allah grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus and quicken the recovery of the injured," he said.
The senator extended his condolences to the families of the victims, the Kano State Government and the entire people of the state, praying for Allah's mercy upon the deceased.
He also commended the swift response of the Kano State Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, particularly his directive to the Ministry of Health to ensure that all victims admitted to hospitals receive free and adequate medical care without delay.
Senator Barau urged motorists and other road users to always adhere strictly to traffic rules and drive safely to prevent avoidable loss of lives.
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