A horrific cement truck accident last weekend on the Katsina-Ala – Zaki Biam Road claimed seven lives, devastating families and communities.
In addition, several passengers sustained serious injuries, raising urgent concerns about road safety in the area.
Eyewitnesses vividly recount the terrifying moment when the overloaded truck, carrying 15 passengers and 600 cement bags, flipped after hitting a pothole at high speed.
Local residents rushed to pull survivors from the wreckage as dust from spilled cement powder clouded the chaotic scene.
“The truck was moving dangerously fast when it hit that crater in the road,” said one shaken witness who helped with rescue efforts. “Before anyone could react, it flipped sideways, crushing people underneath. We managed to save six injured victims, while two miraculously walked away unharmed.”
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander Steve Ayodele confirmed the grim statistics from Saturday’s 11 a.m. tragedy. His team worked through the afternoon to clear the twisted metal and bags of cement that blocked the vital transportation route.
Road maintenance crews have since filled the fatal pothole, but deeper issues remain unresolved. The accident spotlights Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with dangerous road conditions and lax enforcement of vehicle safety regulations. Many rural highways remain death traps despite repeated promises of improvement.
As grieving families prepare to bury their loved ones, transportation officials face mounting pressure to address systemic failures.
The FRSC has actively renewed calls for stricter speed enforcement and proper vehicle loading practices. Meanwhile, local leaders urgently demand immediate road repairs throughout Benue State.
This preventable tragedy has tragically left seven empty chairs at family dinner tables. Furthermore, six additional individuals are fighting for recovery in hospital beds. Community members now anxiously watch to see if this latest loss of life will finally spur meaningful action. Until real changes occur, many fear that the next deadly crash is merely another pothole away.