A tanker vehicle lost control due to a brake failure on Sunday night near the Polo Club Roundabout in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, ramming into other neatly parked vehicles.

No fewer than six people immediately died in the ghastly incident, while about five were seriously wounded, according to an eyewitness who lives in the vicinity and was on the ground trying to help during the accident.

He said the vehicles were damaged beyond repair and had been towed to the “A” Division Police Station together with the tanker.

The eyewitness explained that the truck driver and his conductor were among those who died instantly.

He said the tanker is from Jos and belongs to Jingri Filling Station Jos, adding that property worth millions of naira was damaged, and that all vehicles run into by the tanker have been condemned.

“When the driver notified his conductor of the brake failure, the conductor began shouting and alerting passersby and other vehicle drivers, saying, ‘Brake failure, brake failure’,” the eyewitness concluded.

However, the Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Plateau State, Superintendent Route Commander, SRC Peter Longsan, said that as people are still basking in the spirit of the yuletide, FRSC Officers and Men are busy on the road to ensure the safe movement of road users.

On the accident, Longsan said 18 people were involved and two male adults died on the spot, 16 others who suffered various degrees of injury were taken to Plateau State Specialist Hospital and Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH). The corpses of the deceased were deposited at BUTH.

He added that the tanker lost brakes immediately after the Plateau State Specialist Hospital Roundabout and kept descending until it finally crashed, resting on vehicles to take a stationary position.

“In order to avert conflagration, sister agencies mobilised themselves and put hands on deck, cordoned the vicinity, and diverted traffic to ensure the safety of road users. The effort was also to bar economic saboteurs from attempting to loot.

“Thankfully, there was no spillage of the content of the tanker, as the risk of fire outbreak became low. The sister agencies present at the scene included the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Officers and Men of Operation Rainbow, Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), the Nigerian Army, Federal Fire Service, the Vehicle Inspection Officers, and the men of the Nigerian Red Cross Society.

“The content of the petroleum product was safely transloaded, all the vehicles involved have been safely removed and all obstructions cleared. The operation lasted into midnight, as this morning the road was clear, road users can go about their business. The Sector Commander FRSC Plateau Corps Commander Olajide E Mogaji appreciates all that contributed to the success of the operations, he further appreciated the existing strategic synergy, partnership and collaboration within the stakeholders and the enjoyed cooperation with the community to ensure safety for all, as road safety is everybody’s business”, he said.

He finally enjoined road users to call the FRSC emergency number 122 to report road traffic crashes or other road emergencies for immediate intervention, as he wishes Nigerians to further avoid distractions and take responsibility for their actions and inactions on the road. He thereafter urged all road users to stay safe and be defensive road users in the New Year. (The Guardian)

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