At total of 37 passengers were burnt to death when two 18-seater buses crashed and immediately caught fire on the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway on Tuesday, November 22.
The accident occurred close to Jakana village in the Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State. Most of the passengers were burnt beyond recognition. A third car crashed into the burning buses. The passengers were injured but not burnt.
Bana Ali Kime, director of commercials at the Borno Express Transport Corporation in Maiduguri, told RNI that the “horrific” accident happened at about 10am on the highway.
“One of the vehicles was a commercial bus coming from Kano to Maiduguri, the other was carrying a passengers from Maiduguri to the Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State. A tyre from one of the buses burst causing the driver to lose control. Travelling from different directions, it was a head-on collision. The accident has been put down to speeding. The car behind could not stop in time and also crashed into the burning vehicles.
“The injured passengers from the car ran into the forest to get away from the burning vehicles. With the help of police and road safety personnel, all the corpses were taken to mortuaries and the injured to hospital.”
Kime said a police officer had informed him about the accident and a team from the corporation was rushed to the scene.
“There were personnel from the Borno State chapter of the Federal Road Safety Corps [FRSC] and other security operatives at the scene. Even the commander of the FRSC was severely shocked when he saw the horrific accident.”
He urged drivers to take all necessary precautions and safety measures before travelling. He said tyres and vehicle engines should be checked regularly and the windscreens kept clean for clear visibility. Drivers should not go over the speed limit, particularly if they were carrying passengers and transporting goods.
He said the accident could have been avoided had the drivers not been travelling at speed.
“We know that an accident is a destiny and a destiny is from Almighty Allah. But precautions and safety measures could help to prevent and minimise such accidents. It is imperative that every driver adheres to the rules and regulations set by the Borno Express Transport Corporation. This [fatal accident] was very avoidable.”
Utten Iki Boyi, the sector commander of the FRSC in Borno State confirmed the accident. He said he had counted 37 severely burnt corpses. He said he was shocked and saddened by what he saw and “as we speak, I am not myself”.
SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO
