Eleven young men from Gagarawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State have died in a road accident while travelling to Kano for the Nigerian Navy screening examination/Aptitude test, IgbereTV reports.
The accident occurred along Jigawa-Kano road on Saturday, December 12, when their vehicle rammed into a trailer, which was parked wrongly by the road.
It was gathered that the candidates left their homes around 5:00 a.m. hoping to reach their destination on time for the exam.
The Nigerian Navy Apitude Test for the 2020 recruitment exercise was scheduled to take place in Saturday at 30 centres across the nation.
A resident, Abba Muhammad, identified the deceased persons as Auwalu Mohammed; Mutari Sule; Ibrahim Sani; Katimu Muhammad; Dauda Salisu; Musbahu Yakubu, Rabiu Muhammad-Ado; Salim Muhammad-sani; Akibu Ubali-sale; and Murtala Salisu, while another, who died in the hospital, is yet to be identified.
Muhammad, whose brother was among the victims, told news men that reckless driving and nonchalant attitude of the state’s authorities to administer punishment on reckless drivers was responsible for the reoccurring crash on the Gagarawa-Kano Highway.
Spokesperson of the Jigawa State Police Command, Audu Jinjiri, said the accident involved a commercial Golf 3 wagon, with registration number AA 320 TAR, Jigawa, which was conveying twelve passengers to Kano.
The driver, Auwalu Muhammad, 30, was driving from Gagarawa Local Government to Kano with the said passengers. On reaching ‘Abdullahi Masallaci’ rammed into stationed DAF truck, Jinjiri said.
The truck, with registration number DUT 201, Jigawa was parked by one Aminu Hassan, 25, of Mallamadori Local Government Area of Jigawa, after developing a mechanical fault.
“The truck was parked and occupied almost half of an incoming lane as a result ten persons including the driver, lost their lives on the spot, while two others are responding to treatment. One other victim later died in the hospital and all corpses (are) released to relatives for burial,” he explained.
The spokesperson said the driver of the truck has been arrested and would be prosecuted soon.
Adamu Muhd Usman shared photos of ten of the victims on Facebook, describing the tragedy as sorrowful moment for the Nigeria and Jigawa state.
Adamu Muhd Usman wrote:
“Bad Day, Sad news as Jigawa lost ten youth in auto crash on their way for Navy exam (screening exercise)
Today, Saturday 12-12-2020 it is a great sorrowful and mournful moment for Nigerian youth, Jigawa state and the people of Gagarawa Local Government in particular for the passing away of ten (10) promising youths in an auto crash along Jigawa-Kano road on their way for screening exercise (employment) with the Nigerian Navy.
I am in tears and just speechless. My prayer for these departed souls is, May God Almighty forgive their shortcomings and grant them eternal rest. May He also give their parents, family and relatives etc the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
Rest in peace our youths.”
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