KANO: A bus carrying Muslim faithful celebrating the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) crashed in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna state, killing at least 25 children, an official said on Tuesday. Organizers of the religious pilgrimage gave a higher death toll of 40, with 31 wounded.
According to Kabiru Nadabo, head of the local office of Nigeria’s Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the bus was carrying 63 children from Kwandare village when it lost control and crashed into a truck.
Nadabo reported that 15 children died at the scene of the accident, and an additional 10 succumbed to their injuries the following day, bringing the total number of fatalities to 25.
The bus was reportedly speeding recklessly, contributing to the severity of the crash. Forty-eight persons were injured and taken to various hospitals, with several remaining in critical condition.
Organizers of the religious pilgrimage, who were on the bus to attend the religious event in the nearby town of Saminaka, have provided a higher toll of 40 deaths and 31 injuries.
Dikko Dahiru, one of the trip’s organizers, confirmed that 36 children died instantly, with four more passing away in the hospital. Thirty-one others were injured, with 11 in critical condition. “Thirty-one were taken to hospitals with severe injuries, 11 of them in critical condition,” he said.
“The bus was carrying 71 passengers and 36 died instantly while four more died in hospital the next day,” said Dahiru, whose nephew was among the dead.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended his condolences to the families of the victims and those injured. In a statement on Tuesday, President Tinubu expressed his sorrow and called for enhanced safety measures on the country’s highways.
The President instructed the FRSC to improve road monitoring and reduce the number of road accidents across Nigeria.
Road accidents are common on Nigeria’s poorly maintained roads due largely to speeding and disregard for traffic rules.
