By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
At least 18 people were injured on Sunday when a commercial vehicle carrying All Progressives Congress (APC), supporters lost control and ploughed into a roadside crowd in Yakasawa village, near Ringim, Jigawa State.
The crowd had gathered to welcome Governor Umar Namadi for the 15th edition of the state’s Citizens and Government Engagement Programme, aimed at fostering closer interaction between the government and residents.
Eyewitnesses said the Volkswagen Golf, registration number FKJ 102 JB, veered off the road after the driver lost control while approaching the gathering.
“The driver suddenly swerved into people standing by the roadside,” one witness told reporters.
Victims were rushed to Ringim General Hospital with the help of locals, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
NSCDC spokesperson ASC Badruddeen Tijjani confirmed the crash, saying preliminary findings showed the driver was speeding and tried to avoid a pothole before losing control. No fatalities were recorded.
“The vehicle was carrying passengers when it crashed, injuring 18 people. All are receiving medical care,” Tijjani said.
He urged motorists to exercise caution, especially on poor road surfaces, and praised the swift emergency response for averting a worse tragedy.
The accident comes less than four months after a similar crash during the fourth edition of the programme in Birniwa LGA, which killed a former councillor. Efforts to reach Jigawa State’s Commissioner for Information, Sagir Musa, for comment were unsuccessful.
