A tipper carrying sharp sand experienced brake failure, leading to the death of at least eight people, including students, with ten others suffering severe injuries in the Mpape area near the Maitama District in Abuja.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Thursday before the Keke Napep Park along the road leading to Mpape junction.
A witness, Mustapha Aminu, recounted the accident, saying, “When the incident happened, I was close to the road. It was very damaging. It killed about eight people as I counted. People were saying the trailer brake failed. To me, what caused the incident at first was that one of the truck’s tires burst, which made it lose control.”
He also noted that the absence of a warning horn contributed to the severity of the incident.
“Nobody heard the horn from the truck, because sometimes when incidents like this happen, one would hear the horn from afar, then people would stay clear from the road. If the driver had done this, a lot of lives would have been saved,” Aminu said.
The Sector Commander of the FCT, Chorrie Mutaa, confirmed the incident and revealed that their rescue team recovered five dead bodies and assisted 10 injured individuals.
Thirteen vehicles, including the truck responsible for the accident, and a motorcycle were involved in the tragic event.
