Mother, Children, 3 others die in Sokoto road crash

By Salim Ashir Mahuta

No fewer than six people, including three members of the same family, have died in a road accident involving a FishEye Wagon carrying about nine passengers along the Tambuwal-Sokoto road in Sokoto State.

The accident occurred before Shagari town, on Thursday afternoon.

A1 wagon, travelling from Tambuwal to Sokoto, collided with a trailer, according to people familiar with the incident.

Imrana Zaki Tambuwal, who is familiar with the incident, told Daily Trust that the wagon had picked up passengers in Tambuwal after dropping some others he brought from Sokoto.

He said the driver was heading for Sokoto when the accident occurred.

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Abdurrahman Maidamma Tambuwal, a relative of three of the victims, said the family members were travelling to Sokoto to visit a sick female relative.

He said the woman, who works for their elder sister and lives between Sokoto and Tambuwal, had fallen ill in Sokoto, prompting fears that she had died.

However, the family later learnt that she was in a prolonged coma.

“This was why four of them arranged to travel to Sokoto to check on her,” he said.

Maidamma expressed sadness over the death of his relatives, saying the family was thrown into confusion when they received news of the tragedy.

He said the victims had said goodbye to people before embarking on the journey, a development that now appeared as though they were bidding farewell to the world.

“We were thrown into confusion when we received the news of their death. Before they left, they said goodbye to people, and looking back now, it was as if they were bidding farewell to the world,” he said.

The victims from the same family were identified as Rukayya Ahmad Gohe, her daughter, Mupeedah Abubakar, her son, Ishaq Abubakar, and her sister, Atika Ahmad Gohe.

Rukayya, Mupeedah and Atika died in the accident, while Ishaq is receiving treatment at a health facility in Sokoto.

Imrana Zaki said five of the deceased were from Tambuwal. They were identified as Atika Ahmad Gohe, Rukayya Ahmad Gohe, Mupeedah Abubakar, Umar Ma’azu (who is also on his way to see a medical doctor) and Janaidu Aliyu.

He said the sixth victim was the driver, whose identity was not immediately known because he was from Sokoto town.

According to him, the three other passengers, who were also from Tambuwal, sustained injuries and were receiving treatment in hospital.

The deceased were buried at about 5pm on Thursday in accordance with Islamic rites.

When contacted for more details, the spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Sokoto State, SC Abdulganiyyu Romo, said he was away in Katsina for training for newly recruited personnel of the corps.