36 Killed, Scores Injured After Bus Ferrying 63 People Going For Religious Event Collides With Truck

• The victims were travelling to celebrate Eid-el-Maulud when the horrible accident happened on Sunday, September 15
• Police said the ill-fated bus was ferrying around 63 people when it collided with a trailer near Lere Town
• The injured were rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in nearby Plateau State for medical treatment

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya

Kaduna State - At least 36 people have been confirmed dead following a horrible accident near Samunaka in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Where were Kaduna accident victims travelling to?

The Daily Post reported that the victims were travelling to celebrate Eid-el-Maulud - Prophet Muhammad's birthday, when the accident occurred on Sunday, September 15.

The J5 bus, registration number NSL 08 AA, with 63 passengers on board, collided head-on with a DAF trailer with registration number DKA 454 XY at LEA Primary School near Lere town.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the bus lost control due to overspeeding and overloading, leading to the horrible crash.

“The town of Saminaka was filled with travellers mostly to celebrate the Maulud festival when a J5 Bus with registration number NSL 08 AA carrying sixty-three (63) people on board crashes onto a DAF Trailer with registration number DKA 454 XY. The incident occurred at LEA Primary School lere.

“Furthermore, initial investigation revealed that the driver or J5, who was at high speed, lost control of his vehicle, which was loaded with people heading to the festival and crashed onto the trailer," police said.

What organisers said about Kaduna tragic accident

Among those who perished in the accident included 15 children who were among the passengers.

Malam Abdullahi, one of the Maulud celebration organisers, stated that the accident disrupted their plans.

“We had around 70 people, including women and children, in our entourage. I personally counted the victims. It was a heartbreaking scene,” Abdullahi said as reported by BBC.

Abdullahi said over 35 people were rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in nearby Plateau State for medical treatment.

How many Kyoani Secondary School students died?

In other sad news, it emerged that three of the six children who were hit and killed by a speeding vehicle at Kyoani Market in Ikutha, along Kibwezi Road, were from the same family.

According to Nation, neighbours established the identities of the six children as they quickly responded to the accident.

The pupils included two Form Three girls and a Form One girl, all of whom were students at the nearby Kyoani Secondary School.

The other two females and a boy used to attend the nearby Kyoani Primary School in Kitui county.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke