AT least 22 people lost their lives in the early hours of today after a speeding, overloaded trailer lost control and crashed near Tufa village along the Lambata-Lapai Road in Niger State.
The crash occurred around 3:40 a.m., involving a trailer reportedly heading from Kano to Lagos, carrying both passengers and cargo.
Out of 42 passengers onboard, 22 died instantly, while 20 others sustained injuries and were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Lambata for treatment.
Confirming the incident, Aisha Saadu, the Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), described the accident as devastating and blamed it on overspeeding.
“The trailer was transporting passengers and goods when it lost control and veered off the road,” she said.
An eyewitness, Musa Abdullahi, told newsmen that villagers rushed to the scene to help.
He described the crash as horrifying, with mangled bodies scattered across the road.
“The trailer was moving too fast and overloaded with food items and other goods. The sight after the crash was terrible,” Abdullahi added.
The accident adds to a troubling trend of road crashes linked to overspeeding and overloading on Nigerian highways, raising renewed concerns over transportation safety and enforcement.