At least six youths from Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State have lost their lives in a fatal motor accident that occurred in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State, while returning from Kano on Monday.

Daily Trust gathered that the victims were among more than 18 passengers travelling in a commercial vehicle from Kano, where they had gone in search of livelihood opportunities.

A resident of Rabah, Malam Abubakar Chibau, said the accident claimed the lives of six passengers, most of whom were family breadwinners.

He disclosed that the Chairman of Rabah Local Government promptly contacted his counterpart in Talata Mafara after receiving news of the tragedy to facilitate the evacuation of the victims.

“When we got the news of the accident, the chairman of Rabah Local Government sought the assistance of the chairman of Talata Mafara Local Government to help in bringing back the corpses and assisting the injured,” he said.

According to Chibau, those injured in the crash were taken to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were transported back to Rabah late Monday night.

“They were buried on Tuesday morning after funeral prayers attended by hundreds of sympathisers,” he added.

Chibau further revealed that the driver of the vehicle and his assistant also died in the accident, while other injured passengers remain hospitalised and are receiving medical attention.

One of the bereaved fathers, Malam Basiru, who lost his son, Jamilu, said the deceased was a fish trader based in Kano and is survived by two wives and six children.

Recalling his last conversation with his son, Basiru said:

“He called his family around 10am and informed them that they had stopped in Gusau to eat and would arrive in Sokoto around 2pm.

“But around 2pm, I received a call informing me that my son had died in the accident at Talata Mafara.”

He described Jamilu as a hardworking and responsible man who provided for his family.

“We are appealing to the local and state governments to assist the families of the deceased because they were our breadwinners,” he added.

Another resident, Malam Abubakar Mika’ilu, who lost his elder brother, Muhammad Ameen, in the crash, said the deceased left behind a wife and seven children.

“He spent almost 30 years travelling to Kano in search of livelihood. His death is a great loss to the family,” he said. (Daily Trust)