One person died while 87 others sustained injuries in a road accident involving a trailer along the Potiskum–Azare Road in Yobe State.
The incident occurred around 2 pm on Wednesday at the Potiskum entrance roundabout in Potiskum Local Government Area when a trailer conveying passengers to the Potiskum cattle market lost control and overturned.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Command, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the incident to PUNCH Online on Wednesday.
“The Yobe State Police Command confirms a lone fatality and 87 injured persons following a road traffic accident involving a trailer at the Potiskum entrance roundabout.
“The injured victims were promptly evacuated to the Potiskum Specialist Hospital for medical attention, while the deceased has been deposited at the hospital morgue,” he said.
Abdulkarim explained that preliminary investigations indicated that the vehicle was overloaded with passengers.
“Investigation has commenced to determine the immediate and remote causes of the accident, and appropriate action will be taken.
“We also urge motorists and the general public to comply strictly with traffic regulations to avoid such unfortunate incidents,” he added.
He urged motorists and the public to comply with traffic regulations to prevent similar incidents.
Survivors said the trailer was carrying nearly 100 passengers from Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State to the popular Potiskum cattle market when it overturned.
One of the victims, Amir Dauda, who spoke from his hospital bed, said the accident occurred as the vehicle approached Potiskum town.
“We were coming from Azare to the Potiskum cattle market, and the trailer was filled with people. As we got close to the roundabout, the driver tried to manoeuvre, and suddenly the vehicle stumbled and fell.
“Everything happened very fast. People were shouting, and many of us were thrown on top of one another,” he said.
Another injured passenger, Ibrahim Sadiq, said many of them boarded the trailer due to a lack of available transportation, especially on market days.
He added that although they were aware of the risks, their priority was to arrive early for the market, noting that one of the passengers died in the incident.
A third victim, Musa Adamu, described the scene as chaotic, saying several passengers were injured and crying for help until good Samaritans and road users intervened.
When PUNCH Online visited the emergency unit of the Potiskum Specialist Hospital, several injured victims were seen lying on the floor due to inadequate space.
A hospital staff member, Murtala Lawan, expressed concern over the facility’s capacity, describing the emergency unit as too small and poorly equipped to handle mass casualty cases.
Murtala said, “The emergency unit we have here is very small and poorly equipped to handle mass casualty situations like this. This unit cannot even comfortably accommodate ten patients at once, not to mention close to ninety injured people brought in at the same time.
“As you can see, many patients are lying on the floor because there are not enough beds or space. Our staff are doing their best under very difficult conditions, but we urgently need expansion, more equipment, and support to properly respond to emergencies of this nature.”
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