PHOTOS: Three killed as car plunges into river in Bauchi

No fewer than three persons have died after a Toyota Corolla car plunged into a river along the ever busy Bauchi-Gombe road.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the vehicle plunged into a river at Tasham Turmi, about three kilometres away from Bara in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

Yusuf Abdullahi, the Bauchi State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who confirmed the incident, said that the vehicle was discovered by fishermen on Monday, March 15.

He said the incident was reported at the Bara Area Command of the FRSC which mobilised to the scene for a rescue operation, adding that when the car was pulled out of the river, its three occupants, all males, were found dead.

“There was a fatal crash on 12th March, 2021 at Tasham Turmi along Bara-Gombe road involving a Toyota Corolla private car with registration number AG 111-TRR. The driver of the vehicle who had two other people was suspected to have lost control when he entered a bad portion of the road and plunged into a river which is three kilometres away from the Bara-Gombe road,” he said.

“Some fishermen discovered the vehicle on Monday and reported at the Bara Unit Command. Our men responded immediately and pulled the car out. The three occupants of the vehicle were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Gombe, by the men of the Nigeria Police Force in Bara, where a medical doctor confirmed all of them dead,” he added.

The brother of one of the deceased, Umar, who spoke to Nigerian Tribune, narrated that the accident happened at about 10:00 p.m. on Saturday while on their way to Bauchi from Gombe.

Umar said that after waiting for their arrival to no avail and having confirmed that they left Gombe on their way to Bauchi, a search party went through the road from Bauchi to Gombe and back on Sunday without seeing the accident.

“We even stopped at this point but because the car was inside the river, we could not see it. We went back to Bauchi and came back on Monday, yet we did not see anything. But on Tuesday, we were called to come and identify their dead bodies at the Federal Medical Centre in Gombe.” he said.