Group decries loss of over 400 lives on Bauchi roads

A Bauchi-based group, Advocacy for Integrity and Rule of Law Initiative (AIRLIN), has decried the incessant loss of lives on Bauchi roads, attributing the cause to the consumption of hard drugs by drivers.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in the fourth quarter of 2023 revealed that 657 people were involved in various road traffic crashes, while 407 casualties were recorded in the state.

Disturbed by the numbers, the coordinator of AIRLIN, Mahmoud Mohammed Abubakar, while speaking at a one-day workshop for drivers, said the group identified human errors as major factors contributing to road crashes in the state, adding, “That is why we decided to gather the drivers to train them through officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).”

He said: “We noticed that taking hard drugs, lack of knowledge, and underage driving are part of the causes that are sending our people to early graves, and that is what prompted us to train them.”

The representative of the FRSC Bauchi Sector Commander and the Provost of Corps, Nasir Musa Mohammed, said most of the road crashes were caused by overspeeding and the use of illicit drugs by drivers.

He said: “We urge anyone who wants to drive to seek proper knowledge of driving so that we can have safer roads and reduce the number of casualties.”

One of the drivers, Abubakar Usman, applauded the organisers for the workshop.

“Sincerely, there are so many safety precautions I never knew. I just learnt of them here. I am glad to be a part of this training. So many of our colleagues have been killed through some of these minor mistakes that we don’t take seriously,” he said.

The training was attended by the Rector, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi; the Association of Official Drivers; the police, and others.