A driver of a Toyota Hummer Bus has been blamed for a fatal auto crash that claimed the lives of a woman, who is eight-month pregnant, and six others in Bauchi State.
WuzupNigeria gathered that the accident happened last Saturday at Dabbe village along Bauchi-Azare road in Bauchi state.
It was further gathered that the driver on the Toyota Hummer Bus was driving and making phone calls when he lost control and ran into a stationed vehicles by the roadside.
A relative on one of the deceased who gave her name simply as Hajara said that her aunt was among the deceased.
She said:
“My aunt was coming for the naming ceremony of her daughter who had given birth when the unfortunate accident happened. She was travelling with her last daughter who is about 12 years although the girl didn’t die.
“Also among those who were killed along with my aunt was a woman who was about eight-month old pregnant. It was a terrible accident.”
The acting Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps [FRSC], Bauchi Sector Command, Ibrahim Abubakar, confirmed the incident to our Correspondent.
He said:
“Yes, it is true that there was a fatal crash that occurred on Saturday, 4th April 2020, at about 1:15 pm at Dabbe Village along Bauchi-Azare highway.
“The accident which involved 15 people, nine males, 3 females and 3 female children occurred when the driver of a Toyota Hummer Bus with number plate BB-250XA, one Auwal Ibrah, lost control and ran into another parked vehicle, a 9.11 truck with number plate KSF-427XL.
“The report we got from those who survived the crash was that the driver was making a phone call while driving and the phone fell down and he got distracted and suddenly lost control.
“The survivors said they kept cautioning him to stop making the call but concentrate on driving the vehicle but he refused and this led to the fatal crash.”
Abubakar added,
“Our men were called and we rushed to the scene for rescue operation. They rescued the victims and immediately rushed them to the Bauchi state Specialist Hospital for medical treatment and confirmation.
“It was unfortunate that at the hospital seven people comprising two males, three females and two female children were confirmed to have died in the crash. Their corpses were deposited in the mortuary and was later released to their loved ones for burial.”
According to him, the remaining eight people comprising of seven males and one female child, sustained varying degrees of injuries.”
He warned drivers to desist from making calls while driving to avoid distractions which lead to accidents and loss of lives and properties.
