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Tragic Accident Claims 19 Lives as Speeding Bus Crashes at Plateau Checkpoint

Written by Jerry Alomatu on October 23, 2024

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Nineteen individuals tragically lost their lives on Monday night following a fatal crash at a checkpoint in Hawan Kibo, located within Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. The incident occurred when a bus, reportedly en route from Adamawa State to Abuja, failed to stop and collided at the checkpoint.

Eyewitness Christopher Maju described the harrowing scene, stating that the bus, approaching the checkpoint at high speed, had passengers shouting, “No brake, no brake!” In a desperate attempt to avoid crashing into the line of vehicles halted by soldiers for routine checks, the driver swerved off the road. Unfortunately, the bus then collided with a stationary articulated truck, leading to the immediate death of 18 passengers.

“One injured person who was still breathing at the scene died while he was being taken to the hospital,” Maju recounted to PUNCH Metro.

Peter Yakubu, spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Plateau State, confirmed the accident, citing brake failure as the cause. “No one survived the accident. The sole person taken to the hospital later succumbed. Eighteen died at the scene, while one died at the hospital,” he reported, expressing regret over the incident.

The victims’ bodies have been transferred to a nearby hospital morgue.

Recurring motor accidents in the Hawan Kibo area have raised concerns, with citizens attributing them to the deteriorating state of the Jos-Abuja Highway. Sympathisers have called on the government to urgently address the road’s condition and implement safety measures to prevent further tragedies.