No fewer than 14 people died on the spot in a fatal motor accident involving a DAF truck and a Toyota Hiace along Kano-Babura Road.

Reports from the area indicated that the two vehicles, coming from opposite directions, had a head-on collision, resulting in the deaths of 14 passengers on the spot and four others being seriously injured.

Confirming the incident and deaths, the Jigawa State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Lawal Shiisu Adams, said the DAF truck was coming from the Babura side, while the Toyota Hiace was coming from the Kano side, heading to Kanya market in Babura Local Government Area of the state.

According to the PPRO, the Toyota Hiace driver was speeding when he arrived at an immigration checkpoint and took the other lane in an attempt to dodge the immigration officers.

DSP Shiisu noted that “while the truck was reaching an immigration checking point, another vehicle, a Toyota Hiace with registration number XA 381 GAS, was also coming from Kano to Kanya market.

“Overloaded and at high speed, the immigration officers stopped it (Toyota Hiace), but the driver refused to stop and attempted to get around the checkpoint by veering into the other lane. As a result, he collided head-on with the aforementioned DAF truck.”

He added that “consequently, four passengers suffered severe injuries, and 14 passengers passed away instantly.

“The Divisional Police Officer, Kanya Division, alongside his patrol team, raced to the scene. On their arrival, corpses and the injured were evacuated and rushed to Kanya Babba Cottage Hospital.

Corpses were certified dead by a doctor on duty, while the injured were receiving medical attention.”