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Sixteen people have been confirmed dead in an accident involving a truck conveying supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau state.
The accident occurred on Saturday at Jwak village, Panyam district of Mangu LGA, after the zonal rally of the party which was held in Pankshin.
Peter Longsan, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) public education officer in Plateau, confirmed the incident.
Longsan said the truck was conveying 99 supporters of the major opposition party.
He said 83 people sustained various degrees of injury in the accident.
TheCable had earlier reported that seven people were initially confirmed dead.
“It was a lone crash involving a truck conveying people from a political campaign rally of the PDP,” Longsan later told NAN.
“Ninety-nine people were involved, 16 people, mainly adult males were killed in the crash, while 83 sustained various degrees of injury.
“The unfortunate incident occurred as a result of excessive speeding and overloading, which led to loss of control that resulted in the crash.”
Longsan said the injured are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Mangu.
Caleb Mutfwang, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, has commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the accident.
Mutfwang said he would visit the victims at the various hospitals to ascertain the severity of their condition and the necessary steps to take.
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the party, has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
“I am numbed by the tragedy in which scores of lives were lost and injured in a road accident at the end of the Plateau Central PDP Campaign flag-off yesterday in Pankshin LGA. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims,” he said.
In December, two persons lost their lives while seven others were injured in a boat accident involving supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta state.
The supporters were returning from the party’s rally in Okerenkoko community in Warri south-west LGA of the state.
