An 18-seater Toyota Hiace Bus with the registration number KTG 283 XA crashed into the crowded Damagum market in Yobe State, killing a pregnant woman, four others and injuring 19 persons.
Livinus Yilzoom, the state’s Sector Commander for the Federal Road Safety Corps, confirmed the number of fatalities to Channels TV on Tuesday. He said the incident occurred on Sunday night as the pedestrian victims were leaving the market.
“Note that five persons who died were not occupants of the vehicle, rather, they were pedestrians who were by the roadside waiting to cross.
“The driver, in trying to avoid the pedestrian ran into five persons who were killed as he lost control due to the speed he was travelling. So, far 19 persons were injured and five killed,” he said.
The Commander further revealed that on receiving the information, the Unit Command at Dogon Kuka dispatched the crash investigation team to the scene and evacuated the victims to Damagum General Hospital for medical attention.
He said that the investigation revealed that speed limit violation and control loss were the immediate causes of the crash.
Other eyewitnesses who spoke to Channels Television complained that the location of markets along the highway in most communities is increasing, especially on market days.
