From Muhammad Ahmadu Saka, Bauchi
Nine people have been confirmed dead in a multiple road traffic crash involving two vehicles in Bauchi State.
The confirmation was contained in the First Information Report (FIR) on the road traffic crash (RTC), issued by the RS12.1 Bauchi Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), whose rescue operation was led by SRMA SA Toro.
According to the FIR, the crash occurred at about 11:20 p.m. on Monday, 3 August 2026, and was reported at 11:25 p.m. FRSC operatives arrived at the scene at 11:40 p.m., recording a response time of 15 minutes.
The crash occurred near Zangoro village along the Bauchi–Maiduguri Federal Highway and involved two vehicles: a Toyota commercial bus with registration number DRZ 133 LG and an unregistered MAN diesel tipper truck used for transporting sand.
According to the FRSC, 17 adult males were involved in the crash. Nine of the victims were confirmed dead and burnt beyond recognition, while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The FRSC identified a tyre burst while the vehicle was in motion as the probable cause of the crash.
The vehicles and other property recovered from the scene were handed over to the Motor Traffic Division (MTD) of the Bauchi State Police Command for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The FRSC rescue team worked to ascertain the identities of the victims, who were later identified on Tuesday. The injured victims were taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) for medical attention, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the hospital’s morgue.
