The Chairman of Illela Local Government, Alhaji Garba Sabon-Gari, says the death toll in the accident at Gidan-Sandaga village, along Sokoto-Illela village, has now risen to 19.
Sabon-Gari disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Sunday in a telephone interview.
No fewer than 13 people were earlier reported to have died in the Sunday mid-day accident which involved two articulated vehicles from Fura-Girke and Inwala villages.
The two vehicles, with registration numbers LLA 22 XA and ABJ 801 XE, were going to Illela market when the accident occurred.
“Six more persons died some hours ago at the Illela General Hospital,’’ Sabon-Gari said.
Twelve of those who lost their lives earlier died on the spot while one victim later died at the hospital.
Thirty-two others who were injured in the accident were rushed to the same hospital for treatment.
Sabon-Gari said the state government and the Illela local government had mobilised additional medical personnel who were assisting the hospital staff.
He said the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Sahabi Gada, had moblised more medical doctors from Sokoto and Gada local governments in the same direction.
“He (Gada) is here himself, overseeing the emergency operations to save the lives of the remaining injured victims,” Sabon-Gari added.
Dr Kenneth Emordi, the Medical Director of the Illela General Hospital, had earlier told NAN that the hospital staff were working round the clock to save the situation.
“We are trying to save the lives of the injured persons, although most of them are in a critical condition,” he said.
