Nine people died and two others were injured when a truck carrying ceramic tiles from Ajaokuta, Kogi State, to Kano crashed at Piri village along the Abuja–Lokoja highway on Tuesday, October 13.
The Howo truck, with registration number FKY 922 XB, plunged into a ditch at about 5:37am. Eleven people were reportedly travelling on top of its cargo.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the crash, saying all nine deceased victims were male.
Victims Trapped Beneath Tiles
A witness, Samson Yakubu, said the driver lost control before the truck left the road and fell into the ditch.
According to him, nine people riding on the tiles became trapped, while two survivors were rescued by FRSC personnel and taken to General Hospital, Kwali.
Yakubu said residents assisted the rescue team in removing tiles to reach the trapped victims and recover their bodies.
FRSC Cites Fatigue and Speeding
An official from the FRSC Yangoji Unit Command who participated in the rescue attributed the crash to driver fatigue and a violation of speed limits.
The official said the bodies were deposited at the mortuary of General Hospital, Kwali, where the two injured victims were also receiving treatment.
FCT Sector Commander of the FRSC, Tijjani Iliyasu, separately confirmed the accident.
Warning Against Riding on Truck Cargo
Iliyasu expressed concern about passengers travelling on top of goods loaded onto trucks and trailers.
He warned that the practice exposed passengers to serious danger.
The identities of those killed and the condition of the two survivors were not specified in the account.
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