20 killed, Scores Injured in Plateau Highway Crash as Truck Suffers Brake Failure

•⁠ ⁠Mutfwang: End to killings in state in sight

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Yemi Kosoko in Jos

No fewer than 20 persons were confirmed dead yesterday evening in a devastating multiple-vehicle crash at Hawan Kibo, a notorious hilly stretch in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

This incident occurred same day the State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, gave assurance that the recurring issue of killings in parts of the state would soon become a thing of the past.
The accident, which occurred at about 5:00 p.m., threw the area into confusion as residents, travellers and emergency responders battled to rescue victims trapped in the wreckage.

Eyewitnesses said the crash happened when a truck reportedly lost control while descending the steep Hawan Kibo bend, crashing into other vehicles and leaving a trail of destruction.
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Plateau State, Corps Commander Adelaja Ogungbemi, confirmed the incident and the death toll.
According to him, rescue personnel were immediately deployed to the scene to evacuate the injured and recover bodies of the deceased.

“Yes, it is true. There was an accident this evening at the Hawan Kibo area in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. Our officers are at the scene carrying out rescue operations,” he said.

Describing the crash as tragic, Ogungbemi disclosed that 20 persons lost their lives in the accident, including 18 occupants of a commercial bus and two persons in the truck involved in the collision.
He attributed the accident to brake failure, warning motorists against neglecting routine maintenance of their vehicles.

“It was a brake failure. We will continue to advise motorists to always check their vehicles before embarking on trips. Drivers must also exercise caution, especially when negotiating bends and steep descents,” he said.

An eyewitness who witnessed the incident said the vehicle appeared to have lost control while descending the hill before ploughing into other road users.

“I was close by when it happened around 5 p.m. The vehicle lost control while coming down the hill. It was a terrible scene. People were shouting for help and many victims were trapped,” the witness recounted.

Another resident described the aftermath as heart-rending, noting that rescue efforts were initially hampered by the large crowd that gathered at the scene.

“We have not seen anything like this here in recent times. Many victims were lying on the ground while others were trapped in the vehicles. FRSC officials arrived quickly and started evacuating the injured, but many had already died,” he said.

The FRSC said injured victims were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, while efforts continued late into the evening to clear the road and complete rescue operations.

The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over road safety along the Hawan Kibo corridor, a route that has witnessed several fatal crashes over the years due to its difficult terrain and frequent incidents of mechanical failure. Authorities urged transport operators and motorists to ensure that critical vehicle components, particularly braking systems, are in good condition before embarking on journeys.

Mutfwang: End In Sight To Killings On The Plateau
Meanwhile, Governor Mutfwang has given assurance that the recurring issue of killings in parts of the state would soon become a thing of the past.

Mutfwang, who spoke with newsmen yesterday, shortly after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at his Ikoyi, Lagos residence, disclosed that necessary machinery have been put in place to resolve all issues about communal killings in Plateau state.
His words: “I’ve come to brief Mr. President on the challenges that we’ve been dealing with and all the progress that we are making. There’s light at the end of the tunnel. All we need is constancy. A lot of the things we have put in place, we are very, very expectant that they will yield the desired result. But what we need is to be consistent and to ensure that we do not take our feet off the brakes. So, I believe that the solution is in sight.”

The governor further stated that the issues at stake were being addressed from both kinetic and non-kinetic angles adding that people are already being mobilised on the need to live together in harmony.
According to him: “We’re dealing with it from the two perspectives, both kinetic and non-kinetic. We’re continuing to engage our people on the need to live in peace, on the need to continue to respect one another, and the need for respect for humanity. We need to rediscover our value for humanity so that there’s no need for unnecessary shedding of blood.”
He also assured that victims of the attacks and killings will get justice saying the prosecution of those arrested so far in connection with the killings has commenced in earnest.

“We’re ensuring that justice is done. We’re beginning to prosecute people. We’re making sure. I can tell you that a lot is happening, and we’re very hopeful.”
Mutfwang also talked about series of meetings already held with stakeholders in the state on the issue adding that the report of a sub committee was recently considered on the way forward.
Said he: “We’ve met. We’ve been meeting. We set up even a subcommittee to now narrow the issues so that we can know exactly what we are dealing with. And the committee has submitted its report. We have had one meeting. We’ll continue to dialogue on those issues.

“They are not new issues, per se. They are issues that, like I said, we need to be consistent in discussing them. We need to rebuild the walls of trust. We need to rebuild confidence in government and in governance, and this is what we are doing.
“I can tell you we’ve made a lot of unprecedented moves. We’ve tried to make sure that the leaders maintain a cohesion so that people can see that leaders are not divided. When leaders are working at cross-purposes, it slows down the process of bringing peace to the state. But now we are making progress.”