Abuja-Lokoja Crash: Nine Die, Two Injured As FRSC Blames Speeding, Fatigue
Nine people have been killed and two others injured after a truck loaded with ceramic tiles crashed into a ditch at Piri village along the Abuja-Lokoja highway, with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) blaming fatigue and excessive speed.
The accident occurred at about 5:37 a.m. on Tuesday when the Howo truck, with registration number FKY 922 XB, reportedly lost control while travelling from Ajaokuta, Kogi State, to Kano.
A witness, Samson Yakubu, said the 11 victims were sitting on top of the ceramic tiles when the truck veered off the road. Nine of them were trapped beneath the load and died, while two others were rescued by FRSC officials and taken to the General Hospital, Kwali, for treatment.
Yakubu said some villagers joined the rescue operation, helping to remove the tiles to reach the trapped victims.
An FRSC official attached to the Yangoji Unit Command, who participated in the rescue, confirmed that all nine deceased victims were male. Their bodies were deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital, Kwali.
The FCT Sector Commander of the FRSC, Tijjani Iliyasu, also confirmed the incident, saying he was awaiting a detailed report from the unit command.
Iliyasu condemned the dangerous practice of conveying passengers on top of goods loaded onto trucks and trailers, warning that it exposes occupants to grave risks, especially on long-distance journeys.
He said the corps had repeatedly sensitised heavy-duty vehicle operators to the dangers and sanctioned those found violating road safety regulations.
The sector commander also disclosed that the construction company handling the dualisation of a section of the Abuja-Lokoja highway had been booked for allegedly failing to provide adequate warning signs around the construction zone.
The crash has renewed concerns over road safety on highways undergoing construction and the dangers of transporting passengers alongside cargo.
The FRSC urged motorists and vehicle operators to avoid speeding, fatigue and other dangerous practices, stressing the need to comply with traffic regulations to prevent avoidable deaths.
