A survivor of the ghastly accident which led to death of 22 occupants of the coaster bus that was conveying the Kano State athletes returning from the recently concluded Gateway Games 2024, has explained what led to the crash.
Narrating the how the incident occurred the survivor, identified as Dorothy Okwuzuluike as reported by Vanguard said, a brake failure had led to the ghastly crash.
She recalled as soon as the athletes noticed the gravity of what was happening, they were engulfed with ‘fear, anxiety and feeling of resignation.
Okwuzuluike while speaking in a viral video seen by Truthlive News, from an hospital bed with a bandaged leg that appeared swollen, she said: “All I can remember is like the driver lost control after the bus brake failed.
“The only thing I can remember was that I held onto the seat in front of me firmly. The next thing was that I found myself at the hospital.”
“We spent two days on the road to go to Abeokuta to represent Kano state at the Festival.
“On our way back, we equally spent another two days on the road before the accident occurred.
“The vehicle was not sound, as it was always breaking down along the way. It would break down, we will stop, they will effect repair.
“After another few kilometres, it would break down again. They would carry out repair, and we would move again. It was a horrifying experience.”
Meanwhile, a top official of the Kano State contingent, Ibrahim Umar Fagge also spoke on the incident.
He said: “During the festival, we were reducing our athletes as events were taking place. As your event end, you leave for home.
“So majority of our athletes had returned home before the final day. Only that bus that was remaining.”
He explained that he was always in touch with the contingent.
“We were together with them. The bus had accident in Lokoja, and they managed it to Abuja, where we spent the night.
“This (Saturday) morning, they started their journey from Abuja to Kano. At about 10 a.m., I spoke with about six of them. Then I got a report that our bus had accident at Chirowama.”