The vehicle conveying them had reportedly rammed into a trailer, which was wrongly parked by the road.
Ten young men from Jigawa State and their driver travelling to Kano State for the Nigerian Navy screening examination and aptitude test died in a ghastly road accident on Saturday.
The vehicle conveying them had reportedly rammed into a trailer, which was wrongly parked by the road.
The Nigerian Navy Aptitude Test for the 2020 recruitment exercise was scheduled for today at 30 centres across the country.
Reports stated that the ten candidates left their homes around 5 am, hoping to reach their destination on time for the exam but they had met with an untimely death.
A resident, Abba Muhammad, identified the deceased persons as; Auwalu Mohammed; Mutari Sule; Ibrahim Sani; Katimu Muhammad; Dauda Salisu; Musbahu Yakubu, Rabiu Muhammad-Ado; Salim Muhammad-Sani; Akibu Ubali-sale; and Murtala Salisu, while another, who died in the hospital, is yet to be identified.
A brother to one of the victims, Muhammad, said that reckless driving and carefree attitude of the state's authorities to administer punishment on reckless drivers was responsible for the reoccurring crash on the Gagarawa-Kano Highway.
The spokesperson for the Jigawa State Police Command, Audu Jinjiri, who confirmed the development, said the accident involved a commercial Golf 3 wagon, with registration number, AA 320 TAR, Jigawa, which was conveying 12 passengers to Kano.
"The driver, Auwalu Muhammad, 30, was driving from the Gagarawa Local Government Area to Kano with the said passengers. On reaching Abdullahi Masallaci, he rammed into a stationed DAF truck," Jinjiri said.
"The truck, with registration number DUT 201, Jigawa was parked by one Aminu Hassan, 25, of Mallamadori Local Government Area of Jigawa, after developing a mechanical fault.
"The truck was parked and occupied almost half of an oncoming lane. As a result, ten persons, including the driver, lost their lives on the spot, while two others are responding to treatment. One other victim later died in the hospital, and all corpses (are) released to relatives for burial," he explained.
The spokesperson said the driver of the truck had been arrested and would be prosecuted soon.
Meanwhile, one Adamu Usman shared photos of the ten victims on Facebook, describing the tragedy as a sorrowful moment for Jigawa State and Nigeria.
He wrote, "Sad day, sad news as Jigawa lost ten youths in an auto crash on their way for the navy examination (screening exercise).
"I am in tears and just speechless. My prayer for these departed souls is, May God Almighty forgive their shortcomings and grant them eternal rest. May He also give their parents, family and relatives etc. the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss. Rest in peace, our youths."