Road mishap: Nine die in Katsina

The Federal Road Safety Commission on Saturday confirmed nine passengers dead in a motor accident in Abukur village along Katsina-Kano road. Several others were said to be seriously injured in the accident which occurred about 4pm on Thursday following a head-on collision. The accident involved a red Nissan Urvan bus with number plate XF 401 KTN and a white Toyota Corolla marked AG 54 SRP, which had Katsina State Transport Service inscribed on the body. It was gathered that the 18-seater bus was headed for Kano, while the Corolla car was on its way to Katsina.

When our correspondent visited the scene of the accident, men of the FRSC, the police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, were seen trying to remove the mangled body of one of the victims from the white Corolla saloon car. Leader of the FRSC rescue team, Tartius Haziel confirmed that nine persons died on the spot. According to him, six occupants of the Corolla car and three passengers in the bus died at the scene, six occupants of the Corolla car and three passengers in the bus.

Haziel described as horrible, the sight of those taken to the hospital just as he said the accident was caused by dangerous overtaking by one of the vehicles. Our correspondent reports that bodies of those who lost their lives have been deposited at the mortuary of General Hospital, Katsina.

Those who sustained injuries are also being treated at the same hospital.

SOURCE: PUNCH