Kebbi state Police command has confirmed the dead of eighteen passengers travelling in an overload truck at Malisa, Gwandu local government area of the state following a fatal accident on Sunday night.
Spokesman of the state Police command, Superintendent of Police, Nafiu Abubakar said the accident occurred when the driver of the truck list control of the the truck.
He said the truck carry passengers and cattle from Illela local government area of Sokoto state and was heading to Lagos before the unfortunate incident that caused the dead of eighteen persons and forty other sustaining different degrees of injuries.
Mr. Abubakar said a yet to be identified driver of a truck with Reg. No. SRP 442 XA, Niger State, conveying passengers and cows from Illela local government of Sokoto State, heading to Lagos lost control at Malisa junction and the truck fell resulting to the fatal accident that also cause the dead of sixteen cows.
According to him, the state Police commissioner, CP Ahmed Magaji Kontagora visit the scene of the accident and witnessed the evacuation of victims to Gwandu General Hospital where eighteen of the victims were confirmed dead by the medical director of the hospital.
He said forty other victims that sustained different degrees of injuries are responding to treatment at the hospital.
The CP however calls on the NURTW, NARTO and other road users to always ensure they emplace adequate safety measures in their vehicles and be conscious while driving, with a view to preventing future reoccurrence.
He also advised drivers to always observe speed limit, avoid overloading, recklessness and be more careful while driving.
Mr. Abubakar said sixteen cows also died as a result of the accident
