20 die in Nigerian road accident: official

• "Preliminary findings indicate brake failure and subsequent loss of control as the likely causes of the crash," FRSC spokesman Osondu Ohaeri said.

A representation image of an accident scene. PHOTO | COURTESY

A multiple-vehicle road crash on a highway has killed 20 people in northcentral Nigeria's Plateau state, authorities said in a statement.

The accident on Friday afternoon on the Hawan Kibo-Jos road involved four vehicles -- a truck, car, bus and motorcycle, Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said.

"Preliminary findings indicate brake failure and subsequent loss of control as the likely causes of the crash," FRSC spokesman Osondu Ohaeri said.

"The crash involved 25 people; 23 males and 2 females with five persons, comprising three males and two females, sustaining injuries, while 20 males sadly lost their lives."

Road accidents are frequent in Nigeria, where roads are often poorly maintained and traffic rules are widely flouted.

Some 10,446 accidents caused 5,289 deaths in 2025, according to FRSC statistics.

At least 1,347 fatalities were recorded in road crashes in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics.