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The accident scene
Three persons have been confirmed dead, while about 40 others sustained injuries after a canter truck rammed into people sitting by the roadside along the Gombe–Potiskum Road in Yobe State.
The crash occurred at about 2:30 pm on Wednesday near Badejo town of Potiskum local government area, a busy stretch of the expressway.
Eyewitnesses said the truck appeared to be moving at high speed before it lost control and struck those sitting along the roadside.
The state Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Paul Andrew, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH in a phone call interview.
Andrew said, “The crash occurred at about 2:30 pm near Badejo town along the Gombe–Potiskum expressway. It involved a canter vehicle that rammed into people sitting by the roadside, causing multiple casualties.”
He added that preliminary investigations pointed to overloading and speeding as the main factors.
He said, “From our findings so far, the crash was caused by overloading and overspeeding. The driver lost control of the canter while negotiating the busy section of the road, and unfortunately, this led to the deaths and injuries.”
Andrew explained that the vehicle was heading towards the Potiskum cattle market on a busy market day.
He added, “The canter was coming to the Potiskum cattle market because it was market day, and there was heavy movement of people and vehicles along the route. Such busy conditions demand extreme caution, yet overloading and speeding remain major problems.”
He also highlighted the response of the corps and emergency teams. “The injured were quickly rescued and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, while the deceased were evacuated by our operatives. Our teams also ensured that the road was cleared to prevent further accidents. I want to urge all drivers to stop overloading and overspeeding, especially on market days, as these violations continue to cause avoidable loss of lives.”
The Gombe–Potiskum Road is a major commercial corridor in the North-East and often records heavy vehicular and roadside activity during market days. (The PUNCH)
