A tragic incident occurred on Sunday evening at Damagum Market in Yobe State, leaving five people dead, including a pregnant woman, and injuring 19 others when an 18-seater Toyota Hiace bus lost control and rammed into a crowd of pedestrians.
The vehicle, registered as KTG 283 XA, was reportedly speeding as it approached the busy market area around the time traders and customers were closing for the day. According to officials, the victims were standing by the roadside, possibly waiting to cross, when the bus veered off the road and crashed into them.
The incident has sparked outrage and renewed calls for improved road safety measures, especially in high-traffic areas such as markets.
The bus accident occurred in the late evening hours when the busy market in Damagum, a town in the Yobe State, was winding down. Eyewitnesses reported that the bus was speeding as it approached the crowded market. The vehicle lost control and veered off the road, crashing directly into a group of pedestrians who were likely waiting to cross.
According to the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Yobe State, Livinus Yilzoom, five people, including a pregnant woman, lost their lives at the scene. These victims were not passengers in the bus but were pedestrians on the roadside.
Yilzoom explained that the driver of the bus was attempting to avoid hitting the pedestrians when he lost control due to his excessive speed. “The driver, in trying to avoid the pedestrians, ran into them as he lost control due to the speed he was traveling,” Yilzoom said in a statement following the incident.
The crash not only claimed the lives of five innocent individuals but also left 19 others injured. The injured victims were rushed to Damagum General Hospital for medical treatment, with some reported to be in critical condition.
Preliminary investigations by the FRSC have pointed to speed limit violations and loss of control as the primary causes of the accident. The FRSC’s findings suggest that the bus driver was traveling at an excessive speed as he approached the busy market area. Given the crowded nature of the area, with many pedestrians walking around or preparing to cross, the situation was ripe for a dangerous accident.
According to Yilzoom, the crash could have been avoided had the driver adhered to the recommended speed limit in the area. “The crash was preventable. It was caused by speed limit violation and loss of control,” he said, adding that such accidents highlight the importance of following road safety rules.
The FRSC has used this tragic incident to call on all drivers, particularly those traveling through high-traffic areas such as markets, to adhere strictly to speed limits and other traffic regulations.
Following the accident, the FRSC quickly dispatched a crash investigation team to the scene to assess the damage and begin the rescue process. The injured victims were swiftly evacuated from the site and transported to Damagum General Hospital for medical care.
The authorities worked quickly to secure the area and ensure that the bodies of the deceased were properly removed from the scene. Witnesses reported that the atmosphere at the market was one of shock and grief as the devastating accident unfolded.
Some local residents also expressed their frustration with the lack of immediate action taken to prevent such accidents. They voiced concerns over the speed of vehicles passing through densely populated areas, noting that the roads leading into the market area were often used by both pedestrians and vehicles, creating a dangerous mix.
The accident has prompted renewed calls for better enforcement of traffic regulations in the region, particularly in areas with heavy pedestrian activity. Many locals argue that while drivers should take responsibility for their actions, authorities must also ensure that road safety measures are implemented effectively, including regular speed checks and the installation of speed bumps in populated areas.
Yilzoom, the FRSC commander, emphasized the importance of observing traffic laws in such areas, stressing that speed limits should never be ignored, especially in busy market locations where the presence of pedestrians is high. He further noted that the crash was entirely preventable and that the victim’s lives could have been spared if the driver had adhered to basic road safety rules.
“Drivers need to be more cautious and responsible. They should always obey traffic laws, especially in areas where many people gather, like markets and bus stations,” Yilzoom urged.
In addition to enforcing speed limits, the FRSC has suggested that local government authorities work with road safety agencies to improve infrastructure in market areas. This could include better signage, more pedestrian crossings, and the installation of traffic-calming measures like speed bumps to ensure that drivers are more cautious.
The deadly crash has shaken the local community, which is still reeling from the loss of five lives. The death of the pregnant woman in particular has left many people mourning, as her loss represents not only a tragic loss of life but also the death of an unborn child. This tragic incident has also highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by pedestrians, particularly in areas that lack adequate road safety measures.
Local residents have been vocal in expressing their concerns, with many calling for an immediate review of the safety protocols in place along major roads. There is also growing anger over the lack of action by the authorities to curb speeding and reckless driving in the area, even though there have been previous accidents in the same region.
The Yobe State government has not yet commented on the incident, but there is a growing call from the public for stricter enforcement of road safety measures. While the FRSC continues its investigation, many believe that this tragedy could have been prevented if the driver had been more responsible, and if there had been stronger measures in place to protect pedestrians.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for both drivers and authorities to take proactive measures to protect the lives of citizens.
