Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, said Monday that five persons died, while 13 others sustained injuries in a lone crash involving a truck on Billiri-Gombe Road in Gombe State.
The Sector Commander, Mr Samson Kaura confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Gombe.
Kaura said the crash occurred at 7:20am yesterday at Tashan Gona in Billiri town in Billiri Local Government Area.
According to him, 18 persons were involved in the crash, comprising eight male adults and 10 female adults.
He said out of the 18, five comprising two male adults and three female adults were killed, while 10 female adults and three male adults sustained fractures and open wounds.
Kaura said the bodies of the deceased were taken to the General Hospital in Billiri, while the injured victims were taken to the General Hospital, Amana, Lafiya Clinic, Billiri and Gombe Specialist Hospital respectively for medical attention.
He said the cause of the crash was speed violations, and urged motorists to always maintain 30 km/h speed limit on built-up areas so as to reduce the impact of crash and casualties.
Kaura said the truck driver had been apprehended by the police in Billiri Division for prosecution.
Also speaking to NAN, the Police Public Relations Officer in Gombe State, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, confirmed the crash.
Abdullahi said it created tension in Billiri, but with the quick intervention of security personnel, the situation was brought under control.
He said the truck hit some persons who were part of the last batch coming from the Easter prayer ground to their various locations.
He said the truck was which loaded with grains was immediately set ablaze by residents of the area and attempt was made to kill the driver, but for the swift intervention of the police.
“For now everything is calm and motorists are now plying the route, there is no cause for panic,” he said.(NAN)
