Tragedy in Nigeria: Wedding bus plunges into river, 19 women and children dead

Nigeria: At least 19 women and children were killed when a bus carrying guests from a wedding ceremony plunged into a river in northern Nigeria, a union official and local residents said on Sunday.

Abubakar Muhammad, an official from the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), told AFP that the driver had stopped the bus on a partially collapsed bridge on Saturday evening, but the bus rolled backward and fell into the river.

The official stated that the bus was part of a convoy escorting the bride to her new husband's home, and the accident occurred near the village of Fass in Zamfara State. It is suspected that the driver forgot to apply the handbrake.

The bus was headed toward the city of Jega in the neighboring Kebbi State. Residents of Fass village also confirmed the deaths of women and children.

It is worth noting that traffic accidents are common in Nigeria due to poor road conditions. According to official statistics, 5,421 deaths were recorded in 9,570 accidents last year.