By Patrick Idowu
Eight passengers lost their lives, and six others sustained injuries in a tragic road accident involving a bus and a trailer at Jere Bridge along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on Saturday night.
A community leader who confirmed the incident to reporters on Sunday said the crash occurred around 9:47 p.m. and involved a Sharon bus with registration number KGE 576 PZ.
The bus, reportedly traveling from Zaria to the East, attempted to overtake another vehicle by using a one-way lane and collided with a moving trailer from behind.
The impact of the collision claimed the lives of the bus driver and seven passengers instantly, while six others sustained various degrees of injuries.
“I personally went to the scene with some of my people to support the FRSC officials in evacuating the dead and injured to the hospital,” the community leader said.
An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who participated in the rescue operation but requested anonymity, described the intensity of the crash.
“We had to use an extricating machine to remove some of the trapped passengers, especially those seated in the front of the bus,” he said.
The corpses were taken to the morgue at Sabon-Wuse General Hospital, where the injured are also receiving treatment.
Authorities have urged motorists to exercise caution on the highway, particularly in avoiding dangerous overtaking and one-way driving, to prevent further tragedies.
