Road accident claims five lives in Yobe as command records 120 road traffic deaths in 2025
By Bala Ajiya, Damaturu
The Commissioner of Police in Yobe state, Emmanuel Ado, has expressed concern over the rising cases of road traffic accidents which claimed 120 lives across the state in 2025 and called for collective solutions.
He further tasked sister security and road safety agencies to intensify road surveillance and ensure strict enforcement of traffic regulations across the state.
The CP was reacting to the road accident that happened on the 15th of January at Gaggaba Village, within the Damagum area of Yobe state that claimed seven lives.
A statement by the command’s public relations officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, reads;
“The Yobe State Police Command regrets to inform the public of a fatal motor vehicle accident that occurred on 15th January, 2026, at about 0120 hours, at Gaggaba Village, within the Damagum area.
“Upon receipt of a distress call, officers of the Damagum Divisional Police Headquarters promptly responded to the scene.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the accident involved a DAF trailer with Registration Number DAL 963 YY, driven by one Malam Abubakar, aged 35 years, of Maiduguri, Borno State, who was travelling from Lagos to Maiduguri, and a Mitsubishi Canter with Registration Number XA 437 NNR, driven by one Salisu Ibrahim, of Dirra Village, via Fune Local Government Area.
“It was gathered that upon reaching a point at Gaggaba Village, the Mitsubishi Canter, allegedly driven at excessive speed, veered off its lane and rammed into the oncoming DAF trailer.
“As a result of the collision, both drivers, three occupants of the trailer, and two occupants of the Mitsubishi Canter, making a total of seven (7) persons, lost their lives on the spot.
“The corpses of the deceased were evacuated to the General Hospital, Damagum, for autopsy, while the vehicles involved have been recovered. The case is currently under investigation to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The Command sympathizes deeply with the families of the deceased. The Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Ado, psc, fdc, while expressing concern over the rising cases of road traffic accidents—which claimed 120 lives across the state in 2025—calls for collective solutions. He further tasks sister security and road safety agencies to intensify road surveillance and ensure strict enforcement of traffic regulations across the state.
“Motorists are once again urged to adhere strictly to speed limits and all traffic laws to prevent avoidable loss of lives”, it concludes.
