A devastating accident on the Kaduna-Zaria highway occurred on Monday evening, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals from a single family, while two others are currently fighting for their lives in the hospital.
It was gathered that the tragic event transpired when a speeding vehicle lost control and collided with pedestrians who were waiting by the roadside.
Naijaonpoint understands that the sorrowful incident took place around 6 p.m. in the Barakallahu area along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, coinciding with the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
Among those affected were women and children who had gathered at the roadside after visiting their grandmother’s residence for the holiday.
The vehicle involved, an ash-coloured Mercedes GLK Jeep, was allegedly driven by a young boy from the Rigachikun community, who fled the scene immediately following the collision.
It is believed that the boy’s father holds a significant political position within the community.
“We lost eight members of our family that evening,” Daily Trust quoted a grieving father and husband who resides in Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, Malam Jamilu Usman Mai Yadi, as revealing.
“My wife, Khadija Umar, my two children – Sadiq, 16, and Muhammad, 9, her younger and elder sisters, and their aunt all died. In total, ten members of my family were hit; eight died and two are still in the hospital.”
According to him, the victims were standing by the roadside, hoping to catch a ride home, when the vehicle suddenly veered off the road and ploughed into them.
“The driver must have been speeding because my wife’s leg was broken beyond repair. Sadiq’s body was only brought back to us later by Road Safety officials,” Mai Yadi noted in anger.
Among the deceased was Zainab Muhammad, who was eight months pregnant with twins.
Her husband, Sulaiman Abdulkadir Mai Shinkafa, a cleric from Hayin Rigasa, recounted the aftermath of the accident in distressing detail.
“She was due to give birth very soon. All the baby items were ready. We even named the unborn twins Hassan and Hussaini. Our 6-year-old son Khalid was also hit.
“Her body was crushed. My son’s bones were shattered. We had to use planks to gather their remains before burial. It’s something no family should ever witness,” the bereaved father told reporters.
Mai Shinkafa, like other grieving relatives, expressed deep disappointment over what they described as government and community neglect.
“No one from the boy’s family, whose father was a prominent politician in the community, or from the Kaduna State government has come to condole with us. Not even a word,” he lamented.
“Even the father of the driver didn’t show up. It’s as though our lives don’t matter.”
FRSC Confirms Incident
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the occurrence of the tragic accident, attributing it to over-speeding and loss of control on a rain-soaked road.
While providing details of the response, the Sector Commander of the Kaduna Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Tijjani Iliyasu, said: “What happened is that the driver lost control of the vehicle. It was raining heavily, and the road was slippery. From our assessment, he was over-speeding and rammed into people standing by the roadside.
“Six people died on the spot. We immediately rescued the injured and rushed them to the hospital. By the time we arrived, the driver and others inside the vehicle had fled. They used the cover of night to abandon the vehicle. We don’t know who exactly was driving.”
He added that the case has been transferred to the Nigerian Police for further investigation.
“As of now, the vehicle has been handed over to the police, and they should be able to trace the owner,” Iliyasu noted.
“Our focus at the scene was to save lives, and we did just that.”
Police, Kaduna Government Mum
Naijaonpoint learnt that the Kaduna State command of the Nigeria Police Force has not provided any comments regarding the situation as of the time of filing this report.
According to the media, multiple attempts to contact the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, were unsuccessful, as his phone line was unavailable at the time this report was prepared.
Additionally, no formal statement has been released by the state government since the accident took place on Monday.
Members of the community have united with the grieving families in demanding prompt justice and government action.
A resident of Barakallahu and community leader, Imam Rabiu, offered prayers to Allah for the forgiveness of those who lost their lives in the incident.
“The whole community was shattered by the incident. That night, the whole town was quiet because it was a terrible incident for 8 family members to die at once. May Allah forgive them,” Rabiu noted.
Adam, a resident of Barakallahu, also described the incident as terrible and painful.
“It was a terrible incident because many lives were lost,” he simply said.
Meanwhile, Mai Yadi has said that the family is left to mourn in silence.
“We’ve buried our loved ones. We’ve said our prayers. But the pain remains. The least we expect is empathy from those in power and those responsible,” he said.