Six Sokoto Youths Die in Zamfara Auto Crash Returning from Kano
By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi
At least six youths from Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State have lost their lives in a tragic motor accident that occurred in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State, while returning from Kano on Monday.
The victims were among over 18 passengers travelling in a commercial vehicle from Kano, where they had gone in search of livelihood opportunities. The crash also claimed the lives of the driver and his assistant, while several other passengers sustained injuries.
A resident of Rabah, Abubakar Chibau, said the accident resulted in the deaths of six passengers, many of whom were the primary providers for their families.
According to him, the Chairman of Rabah Local Government immediately contacted his counterpart in Talata Mafara after receiving news of the incident to coordinate the evacuation of the deceased and support for the injured.
“When we got the news of the accident, the chairman of Rabah Local Government sought the assistance of the chairman of Talata Mafara Local Government to help in bringing back the corpses and assisting the injured” Chibau said.
The injured victims were taken to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, UDUTH for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were transported back to Rabah late Monday night.
Chibau said the victims were laid to rest on Tuesday morning following funeral prayers attended by hundreds of mourners.
One of the bereaved fathers, Malam Basiru, who lost his son Jamilu, described the deceased as a hardworking fish trader based in Kano who left behind two wives and six children.
“He called his family around 10a.m. and informed them that they had stopped in Gusau to eat and would arrive in Sokoto around 2pm. But around 2 p.m, I received a call informing me that my son had died in the accident at Talata Mafara” he recounted.
Basiru appealed to both the state and local governments to provide assistance to the families of the deceased, noting that many of the victims were breadwinners of their respective families.
Another resident, Malam Abubakar Mika’ilu, who lost his elder brother, Muhammad Aminu, said the deceased spent nearly three decades travelling to Kano in search of economic opportunities and left behind a wife and seven children.
“He spent almost 30 years travelling to Kano in search of livelihood. His death is a great loss to the family” he said.
The incident has thrown Rabah Local Government Area into mourning, with residents calling for support for the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of those receiving treatment.
