Tragedy struck Kano State on Sunday as more than 30 people reportedly lost their lives in a fatal road accident at Kwanar Barde in Gezawa Local Government Area.
The crash occurred in the early hours of the day and involved a trailer heading towards Gujungu, which allegedly veered off course due to reckless driving. Several other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, confirmed the incident in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, expressing deep condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
The governor directed the state Ministry of Health to ensure free and adequate medical care for all survivors currently receiving treatment in hospitals. He also instructed the Office of the Special Adviser on Humanitarian Affairs to assess the situation and roll out appropriate support measures for affected families.
Describing the incident as heartbreaking, Governor Yusuf prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and the speedy recovery of the injured. He further warned motorists, particularly drivers of heavy-duty vehicles, to desist from reckless driving and to strictly comply with traffic regulations to avert similar tragedies.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kano State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had yet to issue an official statement on the accident. Efforts to reach the FRSC spokesperson, Abdullahi Labaran, were unsuccessful.
The incident has sent shockwaves across the state and has once again brought to the fore concerns over road safety and traffic law enforcement.
