20 Die, Five Injured As Brake Failure Triggers Multiple Crash On Plateau Road

At least 20 people have been confirmed dead while five others sustained injuries in a multiple-vehicle road crash at Hawan Kibo in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The fatal accident occurred at about 5pm on Friday, October 2, 2026, along the notorious Hawan Kibo bend, throwing residents, motorists and other road users into panic.

The Plateau State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Corps Commander Adelaja Ogungbemi, confirmed the death toll, saying rescue officers were immediately deployed to the scene to evacuate victims.

According to him, the crash was a terrible incident, with several injured victims taken to hospitals while rescue operations continued.

He said preliminary findings indicated that brake failure was responsible for the crash.

“It was a brake failure. We will continue to advise that motorists should always check their vehicles before driving. And they should drive carefully, especially when negotiating a bend,” Ogungbemi said.

The accident involved four vehicles, including a Howo Sino truck, a Toyota Corolla, a Toyota Bummer passenger bus operated by Yankari Express and a motorcycle.

Reports from the scene indicated that the truck reportedly lost its brakes while descending the hilly section of the road before crashing into other vehicles.

The impact was devastating, with the passenger bus reportedly catching fire and several occupants trapped inside.

According to details released by the FRSC, 25 people were involved in the crash, comprising 23 males and two females. Twenty males were confirmed dead, while three males and two females sustained injuries.

Global Mirror News gathered that the crash left the Hawan Kibo community in shock as residents and other motorists rushed towards the scene to assist victims.

An eyewitness, Moses Gyang, said he was close to the area when the accident happened.

“I was close by when it happened around 5pm. The vehicle lost control while descending the hill. It was a terrible sight, people were shouting for help,” he said.

Another eyewitness described the scene as heartbreaking, saying many victims were found lying on the ground as people struggled to understand the magnitude of the tragedy.

“We have never seen such an accident here in recent times. Many people were lying on the ground. FRSC officers came quickly and started carrying the injured to the hospital, but many had already died,” the eyewitness said.

Further reports from the scene indicated that 18 passengers travelling in the bus were trapped after it caught fire, while two other victims on a motorcycle were also reportedly killed.

The force of the collision reportedly caused significant damage to the vehicles, leaving emergency responders with the difficult task of rescuing survivors and recovering the bodies of victims.

The injured victims were subsequently evacuated to Riyom General Hospital and Vom Christian Hospital for medical treatment, while the bodies of those who died were deposited at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) Mortuary.

FRSC personnel also worked to clear the wreckage and restore movement along the affected section of the highway.

Global Mirror News reports that the accident has once again raised concerns about the dangers associated with the Hawan Kibo stretch, particularly because of its hilly terrain, bends and descending sections.

The FRSC has consistently advised motorists to conduct proper checks on their vehicles before embarking on journeys, with particular attention to braking systems, tyres, lights and other critical components.

The Corps also advised motorists to reduce their speed and exercise extreme caution when approaching bends and descending steep sections of the highway.

For the families of the victims, however, what began as an ordinary journey ended in unimaginable grief, as 20 lives were suddenly lost in one of Plateau State’s latest road tragedies.

Authorities are expected to continue investigations into the crash and determine whether any additional factors contributed to the tragedy.