Seven people have died following a major road accident in Kano State, northern Nigeria, road safety officials have confirmed.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) issued the statement to “set the record straight” after local media reports suggested as many as 30 people had been killed in the incident.
The crash occurred on Sunday morning along the Hadejia Road in the Gezawa Local Government Area.
Overcrowded vehicle
According to official figures, a DAF trailer—a large commercial vehicle—was carrying 105 passengers when it lost control at around 08:33 local time.
The FRSC provided a breakdown of the casualties:
- Fatalities: 7 adult males.
- Injuries: 70 people (55 men and 15 children) sustained various injuries.
- Unharmed: 30 passengers were rescued without injury.
The discrepancy in the death toll appears to have stemmed from the total number of people rescued (30), which some initial reports misidentified as the number of deceased.
’Lethal weapons’
Preliminary investigations suggest the crash was caused by excessive speeding, which led the driver to lose control of the heavy vehicle.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed issued a stern warning to motorists, describing speeding as one of the “deadliest” traffic violations.
”Once a driver exceeds the prescribed speed limit, control is compromised and the chances of survival become minimal,” Mr Mohammed said. “Vehicles driven at excessive speed become lethal weapons capable of wiping out entire families in seconds.”
The FRSC has vowed to intensify enforcement of speed regulations across Nigeria’s highways to prevent further loss of life.
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