No fewer than 18 passengers have died after a commercial bus conveying travellers returning from Lagos collided with a trailer in a devastating auto crash in Kebbi State.
The accident occurred at about 11 p.m. yesterday along the Sokoto–Yauri highway as the 18-seater bus was conveying passengers back to Sokoto State after a trip to Lagos.
The victims were among 20 occupants of the bus, with only two survivors who sustained varying degrees of injuries.
It was gathered that most of the deceased were residents of various communities in Sokoto State who had travelled to Lagos in search of economic opportunities before the ill-fated journey home.
The impact of the collision reportedly left both vehicles severely damaged, with many victims dying instantly at the scene before help could arrive.
A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Bello Muhammad, who participated in the evacuation of the victims on Tuesday morning, described the incident as tragic.
“We were informed that our colleague had been involved in a road accident. By the time we arrived, 18 people had already died and the vehicle was completely wrecked,” he said.
According to him, the bodies were first taken to a hospital for identification before being released to relatives for burial.
He explained that several of the deceased were from Kajiji Ward, while others came from communities in Yabo and Gada Local Government Areas of Sokoto State, as well as other parts of the state.
Muhammad added that passengers on the Lagos–Sokoto route are usually picked up from different locations, which accounts for the wide distribution of communities represented among the victims.
He further disclosed that some of the bodies were buried in Kebbi due to the condition of the remains, while others were transported to their hometowns for burial according to Islamic rites.
The two survivors reportedly sustained minor injuries, with one identified as the bus conductor.
Another eyewitness, Shehu Jabo, who assisted in recovering the bodies and attended the funeral prayers, said the incident left the community in deep mourning.
“We were overwhelmed with grief because many of the bodies were badly damaged. It was difficult to recognise some of them,” he said.
Jabo alleged that the trailer crossed into the lane of the commercial bus, resulting in the fatal collision.
He noted that nearly all the passengers were from Sokoto State, with only one reportedly from Kebbi State.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Shagari Local Government Area, Maidawa Kajiji, confirmed the incident and extended condolences to the bereaved families, describing the tragedy as a painful loss to the affected communities.
“This is a painful loss to our communities. We pray that Allah forgives the deceased, grants them Aljannatul Firdaus, and gives their families the strength to bear the loss,” he said.