On Monday evening, a horrific accident occurred on the Kaduna-Zaria highway, killing eight people from a single family and leaving two more fighting for their lives in the hospital.
It was said that the sad incident occurred when a fast vehicle lost control and struck with pedestrians waiting by the roadside.
The tragic occurrence occurred around 6 p.m. in the Barakallahu area along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, coinciding with Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
Among those affected were ladies and children who had gathered at the roadside after visiting their grandmother’s house for the holiday.
A young child from the Rigachikun settlement allegedly drove the involved car, an ash-colored Mercedes GLK Jeep, and fled the scene soon after the crash.
It is reported that the boy’s father holds a strong political position in the neighborhood.
“We lost eight members of our family that evening,” Malam Jamilu Usman Mai Yadi, a devastated father and husband from Sabon Gari in Tudun Wada, told the Daily Trust.
“My wife, Khadija Umar, my two children, Sadiq (16) and Muhammad (9), her younger and elder sisters, and their aunt all perished. In total, 10 members of my family were injured; eight died, and two remain hospitalized.”
According to him, the victims were standing by the roadside, hoping for a ride home, when the truck suddenly veered off and collided with them.
“My wife’s leg was broken beyond repair, thus the driver was probably speeding. Sadiq’s body was only returned to us later by Road Safety personnel,” Mai Yadi said angrily.
Zainab Muhammad, who was eight months pregnant with twins, died.
Her husband, cleric Sulaiman Abdulkadir Mai Shinkafa of Hayin Rigasa, described the aftermath of the accident in harrowing detail.
“She was about to give birth pretty soon. All of the baby stuff were ready. We called the unborn twins Hassan and Hussaini. Our 6-year-old son Khalid was also struck.
“Her body was crushed.” My son’s bones had shattered. We had to use planks to collect their remains before burial. The bereaved father told reporters, “It’s something no family should ever witness.”
Mai Shinkafa, like other bereaved relatives, voiced severe disappointment with what they perceived as government and community negligence.
“No one from the boy’s family, whose father was a major figure in the village, or the Kaduna State administration has been to express their condolences to us. “Not a single word,” he bemoaned.
“Not even the driver’s father showed up. It’s as if our lives do not matter.”
FRSC Confirms Incident.
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the sad accident, which was caused by overspeeding and loss of control on a rain-soaked road.
While providing details on the response, Tijjani Iliyasu, Sector Commander of the Kaduna Road Safety Corps (FRSC), stated: “What happened was that the driver lost control of the car. It was raining fiercely, and the road was slick. According to our opinion, he was driving too fast and collided with people standing by the roadside.
“Six people died on the scene. We promptly rescued and sent the injured to the hospital. By the time we arrived, the driver and the others in the vehicle had left. They abandoned the vehicle at night. “We don’t know who was driving.”
He further stated that the case has been referred to the Nigerian Police for further investigation.
“As of now, the vehicle has been handed over to the police, and they should be able to trace the owner,” Iliyasu announced.
“Our focus at the scene was to save lives, and we did just that.”
Police, Kaduna Government Mum
As of the time of reporting this story, the Nigeria Police Force’s Kaduna State Command had made no comments on the matter.
According to the media, several attempts to contact the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, were fruitless because his phone line was unavailable at the time this article was written.
Furthermore, no public comment has been issued by the state government since the disaster occurred on Monday.
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Members of the community have joined the grieving families in seeking swift justice and government action.
Imam Rabiu, a Barakallahu native and community leader, prayed to Allah for forgiveness for those who died in the tragedy.
“The incident devastated the entire village. The entire village was silent that night since 8 family members had died at the same time. May Allah forgive them,” Rabiu added.
Adam, a native of Barakallahu, characterized the occurrence as horrific and agonizing.
“It was a terrible incident because many lives were lost,” he plainly stated.
Meanwhile, Mai Yadi stated that the family is left to mourn in silence.
“We have buried our dear ones. We have said our prayers. But the ache persists. “The least we can expect is empathy from those in positions of power and responsibility,” he stated.
