ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
No fewer than two personnel of the Nigerian Air Force have been reportedly killed in a fatal crash that occurred on Monday along Bauchi-Kano highway in Bauchi state.
The accident, a source in the Nigerian Air Force who spoke in confidence said involved three of their personnel who were driving back to their Base along Bauchi-Kano road in a Volkswagen Golf car when it collided with another Ford Galaxy carrying six passengers when the accident happened.
NATIONAL ACCORD learnt that one of the personnel was said to have died instantly while the second victim, died after he was taken to the Air Force Hospital and was receiving treatment.
It was also learnt that the third personnel was said to be currently receiving treatment at the same hospital.
Our Correspondent further learnt that the Volkswagen Golf car belonging to the Air Force personnel was divided into two parts in the accident.
Confirming the incident, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Yusuf Abdullahi, said that the crash occurred at Gubi Gari village, along Bauchi-Kano highway, about 12 kilometers away from Bauchi metropolis.
According to him, the accident might have been caused by wrongful overtaking.
Abdullahi said that the nine people involved in the crash included a female adult and eight male adults adding that five people sustained varying degrees of injuries while three others escaped unhurt.
He said: “Yes, there was an accident which occurred on Monday (31st August, 2020) at a village called Gubi Gari, at about 1.15pm, involved nine people, eight male adults and one female adult.
“When we were called upon, our men rushed to the scene of the crash for a rescue operation, and the FRSC in collaboration with the men of the Nigerian Air Force rushed the victims to the Air Force hospital for medical treatment.
“It was quite unfortunate that the Volkswagen Golf was coming from Bauchi going towards Kano and he overtook the vehicle in its front and the driver found it difficult to get himself out of the other side and he ran into the oncoming vehicle, the Ford Galaxy, in the other direction. It was a head-on collision.”
Abdullahi added that: “At the point of rescue, we discovered that the driver of the Golf, we were made to understand, an Air Force personnel, died right at the spot of the crash.
“Then one other person had a serious injury and the other one had a more severe injury than the other one. They were rushed to the Air Force military hospital by men of the Air Force and in collaboration with our men.
“The information that reached us later on, was that one of the injured also passed away. The other one (the third personnel) is still receiving treatment in that same hospital.”
The FRSC boss said that the common problem on that road where the accident happened is that, “when you are plying a road that is a single lane road, the type that we call ‘face-me’, it is expected that you manage speed wisely, you don’t overspeed, in the sense that you have no option than to skip off the road.”
He advised road users to always observe traffic rules and avoid overspeeding and recklessness while driving on the road because, according to him, “when you drive in a controlled speed, it is of advantage that you will manage the vehicle to get a stable position at end of the whole thing.”
Abdullahi assured that “We will continue to enlighten road users and the dangers associated with dangerous driving and overspeeding because driving on Nigerian roads, speed has never been something favourable to us.”
He added: “Overtaking needs to be done carefully, you have to look at the distance and the available space before you choose to overtake. You shouldn’t overtake at a bend.
“Furthermore, drivers should not overtake at a hill or when they cannot sight, at least, 500 meters ahead of them. Flouting road traffic rules is not always palatable when the consequences of that violation will come.
“The thing is that by the time it will happen, you may not be the only one affected, innocent people may also be affected. The Ford Galaxy never anticipated danger but it also had casualty except that there was no fatality.
“Compliance with road traffic rules is of great importance and I plead with Nigerians that when they try to break other laws, they shouldn’t break road traffic laws because it will go a long way in improving safety on our roads.”
Efforts to get a reaction from the Nigerian Air Force failed as its Public Relations Officer, Flight Lieutenant FC Ezenyi, did not reply a text message sent to him.
He did not also reply a message sent to him on WhatsApp platform.