Reasons FRSC Attributes Sokoto Crash That Killed 15 to Driver Negligence
By Gift Habib
A deadly accident on Saturday claimed 15 lives in Mairuwa Village, located along the Funtua-Sokoto Highway. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has described the incident as “avoidable” and “preventable,” blaming poor vehicle maintenance and driver negligence for the crash.
In a statement released by FRSC spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide, it was reported that the accident occurred around 11 a.m. when a Toyota Hiace bus, which was traveling from Kano and carrying multiple passengers, suffered a tyre burst. This caused the driver to lose control, resulting in a head-on collision with a Sino truck operated by the Dangote Group.
The crash involved 28 individuals in total, including 23 male adults, one female adult, one male child, and three female children. Unfortunately, 15 people lost their lives, and 13 others sustained various degrees of injury. The majority of the fatalities were passengers in the Toyota Hiace bus.
“The crash occurred when a Toyota Hiace Bus with registration number MRR 83 XA, carrying passengers from Kano, had a tyre burst, which caused the driver to lose control. This led to a collision with a Sino Truck owned by the Dangote Group. Of the 28 people involved, 13 sustained injuries,” the statement revealed.
In response to the tragedy, FRSC Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed expressed deep concern over the recurrent accidents caused by neglected vehicle maintenance and unsafe driving practices. He stressed that following traffic laws, conducting regular vehicle checks, and maintaining legal speed limits could have prevented this tragedy.
“If the driver had adhered to speed limits, ensured proper vehicle maintenance, and complied with all safety regulations, this loss of lives could have been avoided,” he said.
