A fatal road accident has claimed one life with six persons hospitalised in Damagum town, Fune local government area of Yobe State.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Yobe State Command, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, which indicated that the accident involved a trailer with registration number MUS 791 XH, travelling from Damaturu to Lagos State.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that upon reaching a point within Damagum town, the driver lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a Mitsubishi Canter in motion ahead of him, with eighteen occupants, bearing registration number AA 641 PKM, driven by Usman Muhammad 40, of Yaskawel Village.
“As a result, several passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries, while one Dahiru Maikudi, 40, of Yaskawel, was medically examined and certified dead at the General Hospital, Damagum. Six victims were later referred to the Teaching Hospital for further medical attention”, the PPRO said.
According to SP Abdulkarim, following the incident, angry youths took to the streets protesting what they described as incessant accidents on the highway, which have claimed many lives.
“Police operatives immediately moved in and peacefully dispersed the crowd to prevent criminal elements from exploiting the situation”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Ado, who commiserated with the family of the deceased and sympathized with the injured, directed the Divisional Police Officer to collaborate with the Local Government authorities to develop a durable solution to forestall future occurrences.
The CP further called on motorists to obey traffic regulations, avoid speeding, and drive with caution when approaching towns or busy locations, warning that anyone found violating traffic laws will be held accountable and decisively prosecuted.
He also urged members of the public to avoid conducting market activities close to the highway to reduce the risk of accidents.
Accident claims one life, six others hospitalised in Yobe
