Truck ploughs into roadside crowd, kills three, injures 40 in Yobe

At least three people have been confirmed dead, while about 40 others were injured after a canter truck rammed into a group of people sitting by the roadside along the Gombe–Potiskum Road in Yobe State.

The accident occurred around 2:30 pm on Wednesday near Badejo town in Potiskum Local Government Area, a busy section of the expressway.

Eyewitnesses said the truck was travelling at high speed before the driver lost control and veered off the road, crashing into the roadside crowd.

Confirming the incident, the Yobe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Paul Andrew, said the crash involved a canter vehicle that ran into people along the highway, resulting in multiple casualties.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that overloading and speeding were the major causes of the accident. He explained that the driver lost control while navigating the busy stretch of the road, leading to the fatal incident.

Andrew noted that the truck was heading towards the Potiskum cattle market on a market day, when there was heavy movement of people and vehicles along the route.

“The canter was coming to the Potiskum cattle market, and because it was a market day, there was intense human and vehicular activity. Such conditions require extreme caution, but overloading and overspeeding continue to pose serious risks,” he said.

He added that FRSC operatives and emergency responders promptly rescued the injured and took them to nearby hospitals for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were evacuated. The road was also cleared to prevent further accidents.

The sector commander urged motorists to avoid overloading and speeding, especially during market days, warning that such violations often lead to avoidable loss of lives.

The Gombe–Potiskum Road is a major commercial route in the North-East and frequently experiences heavy traffic and roadside activity during market days.