A tragic head-on collision on the Batati/Lanle Road in Niger State resulted in the deaths of eight farmers in a devastating accident involving a Toyota Corolla and a tanker trailer. The incident occurred around 8 PM on Monday when the speeding Toyota Corolla attempted to overtake another vehicle, leading to a collision with an oncoming tanker heading to Lagos to load fuel.
The victims, identified as farmers who had relocated from Niger Zone B to Dasu village in Lavun Local Government Area due to rising insecurity, were gruesomely crushed in the crash. Eyewitnesses recounted the horrific scene, describing it as a sight of devastation.
“It was a terrible sight. All the victims were men of various age groups, and their bodies were beyond recognition. There is a pressing need for road safety measures to address overspeeding and reckless overtaking on our roads,” noted an eyewitness.
Mohammed Sanusi, the Assistant Commander of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (Kutigi Branch), confirmed the incident and expressed deep sorrow over the victims’ condition. “I was shocked by what I witnessed. The scene was heart-wrenching. May God grant them peace,” he said.
Emergency personnel, including the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Red Cross, were commended for their efforts in evacuating the bodies from the crash site. The victims were laid to rest in Dasu village on Tuesday.
At the time of this report, no official statements had been issued by the Niger State Government, State Police Command, or the Federal Road Safety Corps regarding this tragic accident.
