One person has been confirmed dead, while six others were hospitalized in a deadly fatal collision in Yobe State.
The devastating tragedy occurred on Wednesday night in Damagum, Fune Local government area of the State.
The incident has sparked community outrage as residents called for stricter road safety enforcement and better regulation of heavy-duty vehicles.
Following the incident, angry youths took to the streets protesting what they described as incessant accidents on the highway, which have claimed many lives.
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Damagum—situated along the Damaturu–Potiskum road—experiences heavy human and market activities on Sundays and Wednesdays, causing frequent pedestrian crossings close to the highway and contributing to recurring accidents.
Police operatives immediately moved in and peacefully dispersed the crowd to prevent criminal elements from exploiting the situation.
An eyewitness told Daily Trust that the crash involved a trailer travelling from Damaturu to Lagos, which suddenly lost control and rammed into a Mitsubishi Canter loader with passengers.
“The trailer with registration number MUS 791XH -Violently slammed into the smaller vehicle carrying eighteen occupants, leaving the scene in chaos.
Another source said that the Potiskum to Maiduguri road has become increasingly unsafe to many residents of the Damagum community.
“The consistency of the heartbreaking incidents occurring in Damagum town, is sending waves of sorrow and anger through the community.
“We are losing people on a daily basis on this road. We’re calling on authorities to install speed limits, conduct routine checks on overloaded trailers, and enforce stricter penalties for reckless driving.”
The Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command SP Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the incident.
“As a result, several passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries, while one Dahiru Maikudi, 40, of Yaskawel, was medically examined and certified dead at the General Hospital, Damagum. Six victims were later referred to the Teaching Hospital for further medical attention,” he added.
