Five personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) were among 19 travellers who lost their lives in a road accident at Hawan Kibo in the Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on Tuesday.
“The unfortunate incident occurred near Hawan Kibo along the Jos-Akwanga Express Road,” said NAF spokesman Olusola Akinboyewa in a statement.
“Our personnel were en route to a sporting event in Abuja when their vehicle collided with an oncoming truck. As a result, the NAF has initiated the necessary administrative protocols to provide support and comfort to the bereaved families.”
A separate account was provided by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), which reported that the accident involved an 18-passenger Hiace bus travelling from Yola through Jos to Abuja. The bus crashed into a stationary articulated vehicle, leading to the death of the driver and all 18 passengers.
FRSC spokesperson Peter Longsan told Channels Television that the tragedy was caused by excessive speed, which intensified the impact of the collision, leaving no survivors.
He added that the manifest recovered from the vehicle confirmed that 18 passengers, along with the driver, were on board. The victims’ remains have been taken to a mortuary, and FRSC personnel have cleared the wreckage from the highway.