10 Feared Killed, 70 Others Injured in Bauchi Multiple Accidents

10 Feared Killed, 70 Others Injured in Bauchi Multiple Accidents

By Segun Awofadeji

No fewer than 10 persons yesterday lost their lives while about 70 others sustained varying degrees of injuries following a multiple road accidents at two locations in Bauchi State.

THISDAY reports gathered that in the first accident which occurred at Dungulbi village, about 10km away from Bauchi metropolis on the Bauchi-Gombe highway, a nursing mother and one other person lost their lives on the spot.

Also, several people involved in the accident were severely wounded and were rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) for prompt medical attention.

The accident involved a Toyota Hiace bus belonging to the National Tourism Development Commission (NTDC), which had a head-on collision with a Sharon commercial bus conveying passengers to Gombe State.

THISDAY checks learnt that personnel of the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC), men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and villagers who gathered at the scene participated in the rescue and evacuation operation of the victims.

An eyewitness account of the accident revealed that the NTDC members of staff were heading back to Abuja having spent few days at the Yankari Games Reserves and Safari on official assignment.

It was gathered that in the process of overtaking a heavy duty truck, the Toyota bus had a head-on collision with the oncoming Sharon commercial bus heading to Gombe from Bauchi.

Though the state Sector Command of the FRSC confirmed the accident, it could not give details of the casualties as at the time of filing this report.

The second accident was a lone incident involving a truck from Darazo town in Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State conveying traders to Dukku market in Gombe State last Monday morning when the accident occurred.

Confirming the accident to journalists in a telephone interview, the Sector Commander of FRSC, Bauchi State, Assistant Corp Commander Yusuf Abdullahi, said the Corps had a hectic time carrying out rescue operations at the scene of the accident.

According to him, “There was an accident this (Monday) morning involving over 70 people who were in a truck going to Dukku market. The truck skidded off the road and the people fell off the vehicle. They were hung on the truck, and it took the FRSC hours to carry out the rescue operations, and presently the victims are being sorted out.

“For now, I cannot tell you the exact number of casualties but some of them have died. As soon as we are done sorting out, I will give you the full details of the incident.”

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