‘Kaduna-Kano auto crashes claimed 600 lives, injured 2,310 in 6 months’

Over 600 lives have been lost to road traffic accidents along Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway between January and June this year.

 Dr Godwin Omiko, the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Zone One of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) disclosed this during an advocacy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, at his palace in Zaria. 

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 Omiko said an additional 2,310 victims of the road accidents sustained varying degrees of injuries within the period. 

He noted that as of June 2021, the route had recorded 350 deaths with the figures multiplying this year, hence the need for the advocacy. 

The Zonal Commandant, who is in charge of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, sought the intervention of the royal fathers in the states to address the challenge.

“Your Highness, royal intervention is very imperative considering the rising cases of road crashes on this axis, though we held series of sensitisation programmes at motor parks and other places that had not yielded the desired results,” he said.

  Omiko attributed the accidents to excessive speed, dangerous overtaking, reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs and blatant disregard for road traffic regulations by motorists.

 Responding, the emir lamented the rising death and urged the commission not to relent on its sensitisation and advocacy programs.

 Bamalli assured the commission that the emirate council would explore its various channels of communication to reach out to road transport workers with a view to tame the challenge.