Yobe auto crash claims eight lives, injures three others

By : Njadvara Musa

Date: 15 January 2026 11:02pm WAT

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Accident Caution sign

Accident Caution sign

No fewer than eight passengers were feared dead in a head-on collision involving a Howo truck with registration number DAL 973 YY and another truck marked NNR 437 XA along the Damaturu–Potiskum Road in Yobe State.

Three other passengers sustained injuries in the accident, which occurred at Dogon Kuka village.

Confirming the incident on Thursday in Damaturu, the Yobe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Andrew Longkam, said: “A preliminary report from Dogon Kuka indicated that the head-on collision occurred at 12:40 pm, which prompted the corps rescue team to arrive at the scene and evacuate the 11 victims to the Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, for treatment of sustained injuries and the deposition of the eight bodies at the hospital morgue.”

Longkam noted that one of the passengers was not injured during the rescue operation along the Kano–Maiduguri Expressway. He said the FRSC towing truck cleared the obstructed expressway to prevent any secondary auto crash along the road. The Dogon Kuka Police Motor Traffic Division assisted in clearing the road to ensure a smooth flow of vehicles and bicycles along the expressway.

The sector commander stated: “Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the Mitsubishi truck was suspected to be speeding beyond limits,” adding that the driver eventually lost control and crashed into the oncoming truck. Longkam attributed the crash to what he described as “overspeeding and route violation, which are bad habits of safe driving in the state.”

He added that investigations were ongoing to ascertain the actual cause of the accident, noting that road crashes continue to claim lives across the country.

The sector commander reiterated the call on motorists to avoid route violations, excessive speeding and disregard for traffic regulations.

He further stated that the FRSC remains committed to its mandate of ensuring safer roads through prompt emergency response and sustained public education aimed at reducing auto crashes in the state.

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