President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of 19 passengers who met their tragic fate on Thursday in a road accident that occurred on the Kano/Zaria Road.
The fatal accident involved two commercial buses at Bagauda in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State.
Twenty-six other passengers are also reported to have sustained various degrees of injuries.
The accident, according to the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in the state, Zubairu Mato, happened around 07:25am, when the two vehicles carrying 46 passengers collided at Bagauda, close to Nigerian Law School, Kano Campus.
Reacting to the incident in a statement on Friday, signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, President Buhari said he is devastated and saddened by the unfortunate tragedy that claimed the lives of passengers who happily left their homes without any idea that it was going to be their last day on earth.
He expressed worry over the frequency of road accidents, saying the development calls for greater reflection on the importance of safety standards.
“I understand that the accident was blamed on over-speeding and this account worries me deeply.
“Our drivers should take safety regulations seriously; they have the responsibility to protect their passengers.
“It’s unfortunate that ours is a country where, despite regular public enlightenment programmes by road safety officials, our recalcitrant drivers treat the issue with indifference,” the President lamented.
He added that adherence to safety standards and regulations can go a long way to protect lives.
President Buhari extended his condolences to the Government of Kano State and the families of those who died in the accident.
