The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has confirmed a road crash that claimed 12 lives at about 11: 45 am at Gada Biyu, along the Yangoji–Abuja corridor, on Sunday.
The corps said the crash involved four vehicles: one commercial trailer conveying coal, one commercial bus, and two commercial cars.
FRSC Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide, in a statement yesterday, said preliminary findings revealed that the incident could have been caused by speed violation and dangerous driving which led to loss of control.
Ogungbemide stated that further information gathered indicated that the truck driver was driving at an excessive speed beyond the legally prescribed limit for the corridor, lost control, and crashed into already parked vehicles, triggering the fatal collision.
“A total of 18 persons were involved in the crash, comprising eight adult males, four adult females, two male children, and four female children.
“Five victims died instantly at the scene, while seven others, who were successfully rescued and conveyed to the hospital, later succumbed to their injuries, bringing the total number of fatalities to 12.
“Meanwhile, three other victims sustained injuries of varying severity, including bruises, cuts, fractures, and head injuries, and are currently receiving medical attention.
“FRSC officials received the distress call at 11:47 pm and arrived at the scene by 11:54 pm , recording a response time of 7 minutes.
“The injured victims were promptly evacuated to Abaji General Hospital, while the deceased were released to their families for burial in line with established procedures.
“The Motor Traffic Division (MTD), Kwali, has taken over the investigation to determine further liabilities.
“In addition to rescue operations, the FRSC facilitated the speedy removal of all obstructions caused by the crash, ensuring the prompt restoration of free traffic flow and preventing secondary crashes along the busy corridor,” he said.
He said FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, commiserated with the families of the deceased and described the crash as both tragic and avoidable.
According to him, Mohammed cautioned motorists, particularly drivers of heavy duty vehicles against speeding and reckless driving, emphasising that strict adherence to speed limits and traffic regulations remains critical to saving lives.
He reaffirmed FRSC’s commitment to sustained enforcement, public enlightenment, and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to reduce road traffic crashes and enhance safety on Nigerian roads.
