By Sule Aliyu, Bauchi
Nine people have been confirmed dead in a multiple road traffic crash involving two vehicles in Bauchi State.
The confirmation was contained in the First Information Report (FIR) on the road traffic crash (RTC) issued by the RS12.1 Bauchi Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The rescue operation was led by Senior Road Marshal Assistant Suleiman Adamu Toro.
According to the FIR, the crash occurred at about 11:20 p.m. on Monday, August 3, 2026, and was reported at 11:25 p.m. FRSC operatives arrived at the scene at 11:40 p.m., recording a response time of 15 minutes.
The accident occurred near Zangoro village along the Bauchi–Maiduguri Federal Highway and involved two vehicles: a Toyota commercial bus with registration number DRZ 133 LG and an unregistered MAN diesel tipper truck used for transporting sand.
According to the FRSC, 17 adult male occupants were involved in the crash. Nine of them were confirmed dead and burnt beyond recognition, while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The FRSC identified a tyre burst while the commercial bus was in motion as the probable cause of the crash.
The vehicles and other property recovered from the scene were handed over to the Motor Traffic Division (MTD) of the Bauchi State Police Command for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The FRSC rescue team worked to establish the identities of the victims, who were later identified on Tuesday.
The injured victims were taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) for medical treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the hospital’s mortuary.
