No fewer than eight people lost their lives in a ghastly auto crash around Batati and Lanle communities en route to Kutigi in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State.
Nigerian Tribune reliably gathered that the accident occurred around 8:00 pm on Monday when a Toyota Corolla vehicle was attempting to overtake a vehicle ahead and ran into an oncoming heavy-duty motor tanker going towards Lagos for loading petroleum products.
An eyewitness account informed our reporter that all eight victims inside the Toyota Corolla were said to be farmers who migrated from somewhere in Niger East Senatorial District, otherwise known as Zone B, allegedly as a result of insecurity challenges bedevilling the areas. They were said to be on their way to Dasu village in Lavun Local Government Area of the state for their farming activities.
The source, who craved anonymity, added that the victims, who were passengers on board the ill-fated Toyota Corolla, were all men of different age brackets. The source expressed shock over the way the deceased were crushed by the trailer, leading to their death on the spot at the scene of the accident on that fateful Monday evening.
Confirming the report, Assistant Commander of the Road Transport Employee Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) Kutigi branch, Mohammed Sanusi, said that it was a head-on collision between the two vehicles, leading to the casualties.
“I was shocked when I saw the gory sight of the dead bodies inside the crushed vehicle. Tears flowed freely from my eyes uncontrollably, just as I prayed that may God Almighty forgive them their shortcomings and grant the victims Aljhana Firdausi.”
Mohammed stated further that it was the efforts of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) personnel, Red Cross operatives, and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) who put their efforts together and assisted in evacuating and retrieving the charred bodies, who have all been buried in Dasu village on Tuesday.
No official statement has, however, been issued by the Niger State government, the state Command of the Nigeria Police Force, and the state Sector Commander of the FRSC as of the time of filing this report on Wednesday in Minna, the state capital.
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