A devastating crash on Zaria Road in Jos has claimed the lives of at least eight students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), after a trailer reportedly lost control and rammed into a bus conveying them home from a night outing.
The collision occurred around 2am on Thursday, with eyewitnesses confirming that the driver of the bus also died instantly, leaving only two survivors who were rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.
According to accounts from the scene, the students had travelled in two hired buses before one of the vehicles was struck by a speeding trailer suspected to have suffered brake failure near the Zaria Road Stadium area.
The force of the impact propelled the bus into an electric pole close to the Farin Gada bridge, tearing the vehicle apart and trapping several occupants before emergency responders arrived.
A survivor described the moment of impact as “sudden and violent,” recounting how the trailer hit the bus without warning, causing widespread panic before the vehicle crashed and broke apart.
Police authorities are yet to issue an official statement, as the Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alabo Alfred, was unavailable for confirmation. However, a senior officer told reporters that a manhunt is underway for the trailer driver, who fled the scene immediately after the collision.
The tragedy has thrown the UNIJOS community and residents of Jos into mourning, with calls growing for improved road safety measures and stricter enforcement on articulated vehicles travelling at night.
