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Regional News of Monday, 7 June 2021

Source: punchng.com

Ganduje, El-Rufai mourn as 20 killed in Zaria-Kano highway crash

Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai, on Sunday expressed shock over the death of 20 persons in a road crash on the Kano-Zaria Expressway.

According to an eyewitness, the crash involved a Hummer bus belonging to the Kano Line with number plate KN 90 H42 and a Toyota RAV4 SUV with number plate ABC 550 NV.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, who confirmed the accident in a statement on Sunday, said the bus was Kano-bound, while the SUV was headed for Zaria.

He said the two vehicles were involved in a head-on collision due to dangerous driving and wrongful overtaking at a diversion point on the highway.The commissioner added that while 10 persons died on the spot, others died at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, where the victims were rushed to.

Aruwan said, “Security agencies have reported that several persons lost their lives in a fatal road crash in the Kauran Wali area of the Zaria-Kano Expressway.“The fatal crash occurred in the afternoon of Saturday, June 5, 2021, and involved a Hummer bus belonging to Kano Line with number plate KN 90 H42, and a private Toyota RAV4 SUV with number plate ABC 550 NV. The bus was Kano-bound, while the SUV was headed for Zaria.

“According to eyewitnesses, the two vehicles had a head-on collision resulting from dangerous driving and overtaking along a diversion point on the highway.

“Over 20 persons were involved in the crash; 10 persons died on the spot and the others died later at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika. Those injured remain in hospital.

“Governor Nasir El-Rufai received the report with sadness and prayed for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives, while sending condolences to their families. He wished the injured a quick recovery.“The governor thanked officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, who responded swiftly after the crash and evacuated the injured and cleared the obstructions.

”On his part, Ganduje said, “The news of the death came to us as not only shocking, but devastating. This is a great loss not only to their families or to the people of Sani Mainagge of the Gwale Local Government Area and their immediate community, but to all of us, the government and the people of Kano State.‘’

The incident was an act of Allah. Only He can forgive them. We are, therefore, praying to Almighty Allah to grant them Al Jannatul Fiddaus. May He forgive their wrongdoings and may He grant their families the fortitude to bear the losses.

“I, therefore, on behalf of the government and people of Kano State, commiserate with their families, the people of Sani Mai Nagge, Gwale Local Government Council, friends and well wishers. Ours is to continue praying for the departed souls. Allahu Akbar.”Meanwhile, seven of the 17 victims have been buried.The victims were coming from Zaria in Kaduna State to Kano after attending a friend’s wedding.

The funeral prayers were said around 8.30am on Sunday at the Unguwar Gwale burial ground.The Ward Head of Sani Mai Nagge, Alhaji Aliyu Nababa, who expressed sadness over the incident, prayed to God to forgive the deceased’s shortcomings.

Nababa told journalists that eight of the victims were from Sani Mai Nagge.Another source disclosed that three of the deceased were from outside Kano State.As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Road Safety Corps had yet to issue an official statement on the number of those who died in the accident.    ,,