25 Confirmed Dead, Several Injured As Overloaded Truck With Over 200 People Overturns

In a devastating incident, a heavily overloaded truck, carrying food items and over 200 passengers, met with a tragic accident in Niger state, north-central Nigeria. The crash occurred in Takalafia village in Niger’s Magama district on Tuesday, resulting in the loss of 25 lives and leaving numerous others injured.

The ill-fated truck was en route to Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos, when the accident unfolded, as reported by Nigeria’s road safety agency. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger state confirmed in a statement that the 25 victims have been taken to a nearby mortuary, while those injured are currently undergoing treatment.

Kumar Tsukwam, the sector commander of Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps in Niger, explained to The Associated Press that some passengers likely chose to travel with the overloaded trailer through the night to avoid hazardous roads during the day. However, their disregard for the road conditions and the nature of the goods being transported contributed to the tragic outcome.

Overloading and speeding continue to be common factors leading to accidents on major roads in Nigeria, where adherence to traffic rules is often lax, and violators frequently go unpunished. Governor Bago pledged to enforce stringent penalties for traffic rule violators in Niger state in the wake of this incident.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed deep sorrow for the victims and implored commuters to exercise caution, particularly as the festive season approaches. Tinubu’s office issued a statement describing the incident as a “harrowing tragedy” and directed emergency response agencies to swiftly provide necessary treatment to the injured.