Picture: 20 Die In Auto Crash Along Kaduna-Kano Highway

Posted by admin Headlines, Kaduna, Kano, State News Friday, December 30th, 2011

A ghastly motor accident involving a trailer and a commuter bus yesterday claimed 20 lives with 7 others in critical condition along Kaduna-Kano highway.

The incident occurred between Gaida village, near Kwanar Dan Gora in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State at about 6am when a trailer load of sheep from Yobe enroute Port-Harcourt lost control and ram into a moving J5 bus from Onitsha en route Jigawa State.

According to an eye witness, 20 passengers of the 24 who were in the bus were killed with 10 burnt beyond recognition.

Another eyewitness who sought anonymity told LEADERSHIP that the trailer was travelling on top speed, lost control and crossed over to the opposite lane and had a head on collusion with the J5 conveying 24 passengers, mostly artisans who were travelling home for holidays.

“We just sighted the trailer manoeuvring on the road and suddenly lost control, jumped to the opposite lane and rammed into the moving J5 which automatically caught fire. We watched helplessly how the people got trapped and got burnt beyond recognition”.

“We were able to rescue only 4 that were critically injured while the remains of the other 10 of the 20 that died were recovered, just before the police and the Federal Road Safety Corpse (FRSC) arrived the scene”.

Confirming the incident, the Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Aminu Lawal, said, 10 out of the 20 bodies had been evacuated to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital mortuary for identification by their families.

He added that the driver of the trailer is in police custody, while the four including three other survivors are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Kwanar Dan Gora.

He appealed to members of the public whose relatives travelled in the bus from Onitsha to Jigawa to come forward and identify the remains of their families for burial.

-Leadershipwp_posts