19 persons were killed, and 26 others seriously injured in Kano, here’s what happened

19 people have been confirmed dead and 26 others seriously injured in a crash on the Kano-Zaria highway Thursday night.

The Kano Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed the accident to BBC Hausa – the accident occurred near the Nigerian Law School, Bagauda in Kano.

A spokesperson of the FRSC in Kano State, Abdullahi Labaran, said the accident occurred when two buses on high speed collided.

“Our investigation has revealed that the buses were commercial and they were both on high speed which made it difficult for the drivers to control the vehicles, which unfortunately led to the head on collision.

“The buses went (up) in flames immediately they collided. Most of the passengers in the buses, including those who have died were burnt. For now, we have handed over some of the corpses to family members who could easily identified their relatives while others have been deposited at the mortuary and those injured have been taken to the General Hospital in Kura for medical attention,” he said.

Mr Labaran added that officers of the corps have been trying to enlighten motorists about the dangers of overspeeding.

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of 19 passengers who met their untimely and tragic death on Thursday in a road accident that occurred on the Kano/Zaria Road.

Reacting to the incident, President Buhari said, “I’m devastated and saddened by this unfortunate tragedy that claimed the lives of passengers who happily left their homes without any idea that it was going to be their last day on earth.”

According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Buhari said, “the frequency of road accidents is particularly worrisome and it calls for greater reflection on the importance of safety standards.

“I understand that the accident was blamed on over-speeding and this account worries me deeply. Our drivers should take safety regulations seriously; they have the responsibility to protect their passengers. It’s unfortunate that ours is a country where, despite regular public enlightenment programmes by road safety officials, our recalcitrant drivers treat the issue with indifference,” the President lamented.

He added that, “adherence to safety standards and regulations can go a long way to protect lives.”