Several persons are feared dead and many others injured after a speeding tipper truck lost control and ploughed into a bustling market in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
The tragic incident occurred around midday on Saturday at the Mile 6 market, a popular trading hub, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the truck, which was transporting sand, suffered a tyre burst while in motion. The driver, reportedly unable to regain control of the vehicle, veered off the road and rammed into traders and shoppers within the busy market.
“It happened so fast,” said Musa Ibrahim, a vendor at the market. “The truck was on high speed. After the tyre burst, the driver couldn’t stop it. It just ran straight into the crowd, crushing everything in its path.”
Multiple stalls were flattened while several victims were either trapped under the truck or thrown metres away by the force of the collision. The precise number of casualties is yet to be confirmed, but emergency officials and local volunteers quickly mobilised for rescue operations.
According to reports by counterinsurgency outlet, Zagazola Makama, bodies of the deceased have been recovered from the scene while those critically injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.
Security operatives have since cordoned off the area to allow for proper investigation and crowd control. The truck driver, whose identity was not disclosed as of press time, has been apprehended and is currently in police custody.
Authorities say efforts are ongoing to identify the victims and notify their families, while investigations have begun into the cause of the accident and possible negligence.
The Taraba State government is yet to issue an official statement as residents continue to count their losses from what has been described as one of the worst market disasters in recent years.
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