By Yem Monday
A total of 37 people have been confirmed dead in a fatal motor accident that occurred along the ever busy Damaturu-Maiduguri federal highway, Northeast Nigeria. Eight people also sustained various degrees of injuries.
The fatal accident was confirmed to journalists on Tuesday by the Zonal Commanding Officer (ZCO), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Zone 12 comprising Bauchi, Borno and Yobe States, ACM Rotimi Adeleye.
Adeleye said the accident occurred at about 10.00hrs on Tuesday along the Maiduguri-Damaturu road very close to a village called Jakana and that it involved three vehicles – two Hummer Buses and one Golf saloon car.
He explained that the two Hummer buses that were conveying passengers collided and immediately caught fire where the 37 people involved died on the spot as they were burnt beyond recognition.
He said that the FRSC immediately deployed men for rescue mission where they liaised with the Borno State Commissioner of Police. They therefore obtained a Court Order for the mass burial of the victims.
ACM Rotimi Adeleye pointed out that the Hummer buses were coming in opposite directions where one had tyre burst and then had a head on collision which resulted in the fire and that the Golf car coming behind ran into them with little impact.
He stated that excessive over speeding was the major cause of the accident and warned motorists to desist from over-speeding.