21 killed in Jigawa bridge collapse

At least 21 persons were Sunday confirmed dead after the vehicles they were travelling in fell into a collapsed bridge at Rabadi in Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The incident, which occurred at about 1 am along Gwaram-Basirka road involved two vehicles with 22 persons on board.

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Confirming the incident yesterday, the state police command said the crash occurred when an Adamawa-bound Toyota Hiace bus with registration number FYK 406 ZA Gombe, with 18 passengers on board from Kano State and a Canter lorry conveying three passengers to an unknown destination, fell into a collapsed bridge.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Superintendent of Police, Yusuf Wakili said the victims were on their way from Kano, where they went for screening for recruitment into the Nigerian Army, but were unsuccessful.

He added that from documents found on the victims, many of them were from Adamawa, while one each came from Taraba and Borno States.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu S Tafida, in accompany of Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations) and other officers also visited the scene and directed prompt and discreet investigation into the incident.

The State Deputy Governor, Umar Namadi, who also led other officials of the state government to the scene of the incident yesterday, directed that efforts be made to get in touch with the relatives of the victims to enable them claim the bodies for prompt burial.