The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Bauchi State Command has confirmed that 28 people were burnt to death in an auto crash at Gubi Gari village, along Bauchi-Kano highway.
The Punch newspaper quoted a relation of the victims, Abdullahi Yamadi, confirming the incident which he described as “very sad.”
Yamadi, who is the Secretary, North-West Zone of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, said the deceased were all his relatives.
He said they were on their way to Yola, Adamawa State, when the incident occurred.
“Yes, the accident is true and all of the deceased are my relatives. They were traveling to Yola, Adamawa State, for a visit when the unfortunate incident happened.
“You know, after the harvest and at seasons like this, people travel to visit loved ones resident in different places; and that was where they were going to.
“They left Dutsinma, Katsina State, and they had left Jigawa State and were within Bauchi State when their vehicle had a head-on collision with another vehicle.
“They were 29 in the vehicle and all of them died except the driver, who survived. This is a very sad news and very pathetic for 28 people from the same family to die in an accident in one day. It is really sad,” he said.
FRSC Corp Commander, Bauchi Sector Command, Abdulrazak Najume, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Bauchi said the accident happened at midnight on Wednesday when two vehicles, a Peugeot J5 bus, and a Hummer bus with plate number ZRM-91XA had a collision.
Najume said the accident occurred when the driver of the Hummer bus dozed off while driving and lost control resulting in the head-on collision with the J5 vehicle which was conveying cattle.
He explained also that the Hummer bus took off from Dutsinma in Katsina State and was on its way to Adamawa State, while the J5 vehicle was from Bauchi travelling to Kano.
He further disclosed that 29 people were involved in the crash out of which only one survived, saying “of the 28 people, 24 were in the Hummer bus and four in the J5, all burnt beyond recognition.
“We could only identify that four of them were males and the sex of the others could not be ascertained because they were burnt beyond recognition.”
“The driver of the Hummer bus was asleep and he suddenly woke up to see the other oncoming vehicle, and then lost control,” he explained.
He said that immediately the two vehicles collided, they went up in flames and all those on board were burnt. Only the driver of the Hummer bus survived with serious injuries.
Najume added that the burnt bodies of the surviving driver were taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.
He expressed sadness over the accident and cautioned drivers to be more careful while driving to avoid lost of lives and properties.
“This is saddening and unfortunate, losing 28 people in a day in an accident. These drivers need a change of character and attitude because you should not just carry people and drive recklessly.”
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