A Customer Service Manager of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC), Yelwa Office, in Bauchi State, Babngida Yaro, and his wife have met their end in a fatal crash involving a petrol-laden tanker along Gombe-Bauchi highway.
The incident was said to have occurred on Thursday afternoon after their vehicle crashed and had a head-on collision with the petrol tanker.
Our Correspondent learnt that Yaro, who was in his early 50s, was heading to his hometown in Adamawa State for an occasion when they met their untimely death.
He was said to have been recently transferred to the Yelwa JED Office. He was married to one wife, blessed with four children, three girls, and a boy.
A friend of the deceased, Ardo Hazzad, who confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with our Correspondent in Bauchi, said the incident has thrown them into confusion and shock.
He said they were together two days ago at the field where they always meet to play Badminton.
“We were together two days ago at the field where we usually meet to play Badminton. But that day, he looked so quiet and said he was not going to play because he wasn’t feeling well, he only sat and watched us play. He even told me that day that he would be traveling to Adamawa.
“I have known him for about four years now and since then, we’ve become so close. In fact, I was thinking of sending money to him to help me buy electricity units for my prepaid because I always buy from him. At any time of the day I call him to recharge for me, he will always do so.
“As I speak with you, all our friends are gathered together, about 20 of us, and we’ve just finished praying for the repose of his soul and that of his wife.
“This incident had thrown us all into great shock because just two days ago we were together and we had a great time together. We will really miss him,” he said.
Hazzad described the deceased as a very nice and humble person who was kind to people noting that whoever had a problem with his electricity and meets him, he always made sure he sorts that issue out.
He said the couple was buried this afternoon in Adamawa in accordance with Islamic rites.
Confirming the crash to our Correspondent, the Gombe state FRSC Sector Public Relations Officer, Janet Kassa, described the incident as unfortunate, adding that the two occupants died instantly from the injuries sustained from the accident.
She explained that the couple was heading towards Adamawa to attend a wedding ceremony before the tanker heading towards Bara in Bauchi collided with their vehicle.
Kassa said: “The accident occurred around 9 am on Thursday, the tanker lost control and climbed on top of the vehicle. Thank God there was no fire incidence but the two occupants of the vehicle were gone, it is well.”
Commenting further on the cause of the accident, the FRSC spokesperson blamed it on terrible nature of the federal highway, revealing that the incident was avoidable.
“They were trying to dodge a pothole (opening), the truck was coming from Gombe and they (deceased couple) were coming in a Toyota car from Bauchi.
“Before our team from Gombe could arrive Bara (Bauchi), the other team had arrived but we retrieved the corpses and deposited them at Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe. We were contacted from Yola to help them transport the corpses in an ambulance to Yola for burial,” Kassa added.
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