At least 14 people were killed and six others injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a petrol tanker in Niger State, central Nigeria, on Saturday, officials confirmed.

According to Kumar Tsukwan, head of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger State, the accident occurred near Kusobogi village, approximately 80 km from Minna, the state capital.

“The passenger bus rammed into the oncoming petrol tanker while attempting to overtake another vehicle,” Tsukwan stated, blaming the crash on speeding and reckless overtaking by the bus driver.

The bus was en route from Lagos to Kaduna when the tragic accident took place. The injured victims were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

Road accidents remain a persistent problem across Nigeria, often due to poorly maintained roads, excessive speeding, and failure to adhere to traffic regulations. Just last week, 23 people perished in Kano when a truck carrying goods and passengers overturned. According to FRSC data, Nigeria recorded 9,570 road accidents in the previous year, resulting in 5,421 fatalities.

Authorities continue to urge drivers to exercise caution and comply with traffic rules to reduce the alarming rate of road deaths in the country. (ILKHA)