A ghastly road accident has claimed the lives of 16 supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau state.
The accident is said to have occurred on Saturday, January 14, at Jwak village, Panyam district of Mangu LGA, after the zonal rally of the party which was held in Pankshin.
Peter Longsan, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) public education officer in Plateau, said 16 out of 99 passengers in the truck conveying the PDP members died.
83 others sustained various degrees of injury in the accident and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Mangu.
According to Longsan,“It was a lone crash involving a truck conveying people from a political campaign rally of the PDP.
“Ninety-nine people were involved, 16 people, mainly adult males were killed in the crash, while 83 sustained various degrees of injury.
“The unfortunate incident occurred as a result of excessive speeding and overloading, which led to loss of control that resulted in the crash.”
Confirming the incident, Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, expressed his condolences to the victims’ families.
He tweeted: “I am numbed by the tragedy in which scores of lives were lost and injured in a road accident at the end of the Plateau Central PDP Campaign flag-off yesterday in Pankshin LGA. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims.
“On behalf of my family and team, I express my deepest condolences to the affected families and the @OfficialPDPNig in Plateau State. May they be comforted, and may the souls of the deceased rest in peace. -AA”
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