Two separate accidents on Sunday in Bida, Niger State have claimed the lives of 15 persons while 42 others sustained injuries.
The Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Inga, who confirmed the crashes to Daily Trust on Monday, described the situation as disturbing.
According to him, the first accident, involving a trailer with cattle, happened along Minna-Bida road at about 10 am while the second, involving another trailer loaded with tomatoes crashed few kilometres from the ancient town along Bida-Mokwa road.
He said 15 persons lost their lives while 42 sustained varying degrees of injuries in the crashes which caused panic in the town.
Inga said the second vehicle, apart from being overloaded with produce, was also overloaded with people, adding that the casualties were more in the second accident.
He said the driver of the second trailer lost control in an attempt to negotiate a bend around Gbadafu community, few kilometers from Bida town, thereby forcing the trailer to overturn.
Inga explained that those who lost their lives were deposed at Federal Medical Centre Bida mortuary, while majority of the injured were also receiving treatment at the Centre.
According to him, 13 people were also on admission at the Umaru Ndayako General Hospital while others were taken to a private hospital within the town.
He said the victims are from Katsina and Zamfara states.
The Head of Clinical Services of the hospital, Dr Adedeji Olugbenga Adekanye, confirmed that 10 dead bodies were brought to the hospital from the accident spot and were deposited at the morgue while three others, who were brought alive, died because of the severity of their cases.
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