No fewer than 36 Muslim worshippers yesterday lost their lives in a road accident in Kaduna State. The victims were travelling to Saminaka to observe the Eid-el-Maulud, a celebration marking the birth of Prophet Muhammad.
   
The event organiser, Ahmad Dayyabu, told newsmen that the ‘overcrowded bus’ collided with an oncoming truck near Lere town. An official from the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency said 36 people died in the accident. 
 
 However, Dayyabu said the death toll has risen to 40, with 31 others receiving medical care in the hospital.
   
“They departed from Kwandare, heading towards Saminaka. When they reached Lere, a trailer truck collided with their vehicle. Our investigation revealed that 71 people were on board the ill-fated bus,” he said.
   
Official statistics indicate that over 1,470 people died in road accidents across Nigeria during the first quarter of 2024, averaging 16 deaths per day.
   
One of the organisers of the celebration, Malam Abdullahi, told journalists that the accident had disorganised their plans to celebrate the Maulud. He said another vehicle on their entourage also rammed into a motorbike, leaving some of the occupants dead and others sustaining various degrees of injury. 
   
“I did the headcount, there were about 70 people, including women and children. It was a sad development. We’ve taken the injured to JUTH in Jos for medical attention,” he added.