(Maurice Ganagana, JOS)

Eight persons died on the spot when a Toyota Hiace bus collided with a truck at Masalashi village along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road, Kaduna State, at about 4.20pm on Sunday.

A witness said the driver of the bus marked XC250SBG, identified as 39-year-old Abdullahi Tukala, had attempted to overtake an articulated vehicle but crashed into a bush while avoiding collision with an on-coming truck bearing registration number XA344WRR and driven by one Amosu Ibrahim, aged 40.

Both drivers were among the dead while ten other passengers who sustained various degrees of injury were reportedly taken to the Dan Tsoho Hospital, where bodies of the deceased were also deposited at the mortuary.

The fate of the injured victims, especially those said to be in critical condition could not be ascertained at press time, but it was learnt that personnel of the Motor Traffic Division of the Kaduna State police command have commenced investigation on the crash.

Kaduna State police spokesman, DSP Zubairu Abubakar could not be reached for comments when contacted on telephone, but a senior police officer who pleaded anonymity confirmed the incident.