Nine young men from Yabo Local Government Area of Sokoto state have died in a road accident while travelling to Lagos to look for work, leaving their community in mourning.
The crash happened on Friday, July 17, near Kainji in Niger state, according to a senior official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kebbi state, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to comment publicly.
Journey for Better Jobs Ends in Tragedy
The victims had travelled with hopes of finding better jobs and improving the lives of their families. Their deaths have also renewed concerns about unemployment, internal migration, and road safety in Nigeria.
Reacting to the incident, the member representing Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Umar Yusuf Danmaje Yabo, said he received the news "with a heavy heart."
He said the victims "had dreams, ambitions, and the determination to build a better future for themselves and their loved ones," and noted that their deaths were a painful loss for their families, Sokoto State, and the country.
Lawmaker Urges Action on Jobs and Road Safety
As shared by The Punch, Danmaje also said the tragedy shows the economic hardship facing many young Nigerians who travel long distances in search of employment. He urged federal and state governments to create more jobs, expand skills acquisition programmes and provide opportunities closer to home.
The lawmaker also called on road safety agencies to strengthen measures that can reduce fatal crashes on Nigerian highways and prevent more families from losing loved ones.
Meanwhile, the FRSC official said the accident happened outside Kebbi state and confirmed that the victims' bodies were taken home for burial before the state command was informed.
"The incident happened close to Kainji in Niger state... We were not informed... before they took their corpses for burial," the official said.
15 Killed in Kwara Truck Crash
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that 15 people died after a truck carrying 48 passengers crashed along the Ogbomoso to Oko Olowo section of the Ilorin to Jebba Expressway in Kwara state.
The Federal Road Safety Corps said the driver became fatigued before losing control of the truck. Seventeen passengers sustained injuries, while 16 others escaped unhurt in the early morning crash.
