A fatal road accident on the Abuja-Kaduna highway caused a major traffic gridlock on Wednesday after a trailer crushed three individuals and left three others injured near the Madalla junction in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
The crash occurred at around 10 a.m. and involved a trailer and a commercial tricycle, widely known as Keke Napep.
According to eyewitnesses, the trailer, which was approaching from the Kaduna axis, lost control at the junction and rammed into the tricycle.
When Abuja Metro reporters visited the scene around 12 p.m., rescue efforts were still ongoing in search of more possible survivors.
The incident exacerbated already slow-moving traffic on the highway, which has seen heavy delays due to ongoing rehabilitation work. The accident added to the frustration of road users caught in the congestion.
One witness, Saleh Haruna, provided a harrowing account:
“Among those killed were a commercial motorcyclist and the passengers of a commercial tricyclist, who had alighted around the junction.”
Haruna further explained that the tricycle operator had momentarily stepped away to make change for his passengers just before the accident occurred.
“He survived with an injury on one of his hands, while his passengers were believed to be among the dead,” he added.
He also revealed that the trailer driver and his assistant fled the scene immediately after the crash.
Efforts to clear the wreckage were initially unsuccessful.
A crane operator deployed to the scene was seen struggling to lift the heavily damaged trailer from the tricycle.
Eventually, the wreckage was removed, and normal traffic resumed on the busy highway.
Officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who were present at the site confirmed the incident and assisted with rescue operations and traffic control.
