No fewer than 12 persons have lost their lives in a ghastly motor accident that occurred in the early hours of Friday at Samawa Village in Garun Malam Local Government Area along the Zaria–Kano highway.
The Kano Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, CC MB Bature, who confirmed the incident, said the crash happened at about 2.40 a.m. and involved a DAF Trailer CF95 with registration number KMC 931 ZE.
According to him, the trailer, which was carrying goods including Ajinomoto spices as well as passengers, suffered a “mechanical fault” when “the cab hook broke,” disconnecting the head from the trailer body and causing the driver to lose control.
He said, “Out of the 19 persons on board, 12 died instantly, five sustained injuries, while two others escaped unhurt.”
Describing the tragedy as “avoidable”, the FRSC boss lamented that mixing passengers, goods, and animals in the same vehicle exposes road users to grave danger, noting that “overloading poses deadly risks.”
While commiserating with the bereaved families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery, Bature warned motorists to adhere strictly to traffic rules or face “stiff sanctions.”