Eight Dead, 17 Injured in Katsina Road Crash

No fewer than eight travellers have lost their lives while 17 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a fatal road accident along the Funtua-Katsina Highway in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The Federal Road Safety Corps, Katsina Sector Command, confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the command’s Public Education Officer, DRC Shamsudeen Babajo.

According to the statement, the accident occurred at about 1:32 p.m. on Sunday at Layin Kukah along the Funtua–Katsina Road. It involved a Toyota Hiace commercial bus bearing registration number 14B 92 TR and an unregistered Bajaj tricycle.

Babajo disclosed that a total of 25 persons were involved in the crash, with eight fatalities recorded while 17 others suffered various degrees of injuries.

“The crash involved a total of 25 persons. Seventeen sustained varying degrees of injuries, while eight persons lost their lives,” the statement said.

Preliminary investigations by the FRSC attributed the cause of the accident to wrongful overtaking.

The command explained that it received information about the crash at about 1:34 p.m., while its rescue team arrived at the scene at approximately 2:04 p.m., recording a response time of 30 minutes.

Babajo noted that the rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with the Community Watch Corps (C-Watch), who assisted in evacuating the victims from the accident scene.

The injured victims were taken to Bakori Comprehensive Hospital for immediate medical attention and further evaluation, while the bodies of the deceased were initially deposited at the same facility before being transferred to the General Hospital in Funtua.

The FRSC urged motorists to avoid dangerous overtaking and comply with traffic regulations to prevent avoidable road crashes.

The corps also appealed to drivers to exercise patience, maintain safe speeds, and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before embarking on journeys, stressing that reckless driving remains one of the leading causes of fatal accidents on Nigerian highways.

The command further assured members of the public of its continued commitment to prompt rescue operations and road safety enforcement across Katsina State.