Tragedy on Abuja–Kaduna expressway: 7 dead, 5 injured in Madalla crash

At least seven people lost their lives and five others sustained injuries in a fatal accident on the Abuja–Kaduna expressway on Friday morning.

The crash occurred around 11:30 a.m. at Madalla junction in Suleja, when a speeding truck coming from the Zuba axis rammed into about four vehicles before crashing into a road barrier.

Eyewitnesses reported that the tragic incident followed an earlier collision between a commercial bus and a golf car, which sparked a heated altercation between the drivers. Moments later, the truck lost control and ploughed into the vehicles caught up in the traffic snarl.

Saleh Haruna, a resident, said, “The two drivers of the affected cars engaged in an argument, with the hummer bus driver offering to pay N200,000 to the owner of the golf car who, however, insisted on N400,000 compensation. Following the second accident, the trailer ran over the hummer bus, and also hit the golf car partially, before the trailer caught fire, burning the bus.”

Haruna added that four passengers in the bus were burnt beyond recognition, while about seven survivors were rushed to Lukas Hospital in Madalla, including the truck driver.

On Saturday, Dr. Ugwoegbu Valentine, Chief Medical Director of Lukas Hospital, confirmed that three of the injured had later died, while one remained in critical condition.

The truck driver, identified as Sulaiman Rabiu, was taken into custody at the Madalla Police Division. Rabiu explained, “I arrived Zuba town safely some minutes after 11am on Friday. However, as I was descending down toward Madalla town, I lost my brake which led to this accident.”

The Madalla–Zuba axis has witnessed frequent accidents since reconstruction works on the Abuja-Kaduna highway began earlier this year. Locals have accused the new contractor handling the project of failing to provide sufficient warning signs, road shoulders, and other safety measures previously in place when Julius Berger managed the project.