The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kaduna Sector Command, has confirmed that at least 11 people lost their lives while four others sustained injuries in a road crash in Gwargwaje, Zaria Local Government Area.
The Sector Commander, Kabir Nadabo, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, 9 August, 2024 in Kaduna.
“A crash involving a truck with registration number BAU 142 XA and a Golf salon with registration number FST 134 FX occurred at Gwargwaje, Zaria in the early hours of Friday, at precisely, 05:50 a.m. ”
“A team of policemen attached to the Gwargwaje Division conducted the rescue and informed the Unit Commander, RS1.3 Zaria, after they had finished.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the golf, carrying 11 people, all males, had engaged in a route violation, with no headlights and collided with an oncoming MAN truck with four people on board.
“The fatal crash resulted in the instant death of all the 11 people in the golf while the four people in the truck sustained injuries,” he said.
Nadabo added that after the rescue, a team from FRSC Zaria Unit arrived and conveyed the corpses and the injured to the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika.
He recalled that Sector Commander RS1.1 Kaduna had intimated him on the appeal by the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmad Bamalli, to create an outpost at Gwargwaje to monitor and checkmate the excesses of motorists.
Nadabo said that some motorists had engaged in route violation on the busy highway, when the sector commander paid the emir a courtesy visit in September, 2023.
“Gwargwaje has a roadside market with commercial activities. However, the long stretch U-turn makes it difficult for commercial riders to go round, hence they resort to route violation.
“I am passionately appealing for the Corps Marshal’s consideration to establish an Outpost at Gwargwaje.
“This will help stop route violation thereby saving lives and properties of motorists and commuters plying the busy highway,” Nadabo said.