By Ben Adaji, Jalingo
What began as a routine trading day at Jalingo’s Mile 6 Market ended in blood and chaos, after a tipper truck laden with shaft sand lost control and crashed into a crowd of traders and shoppers—leaving many dead and dozens wounded.
The chilling incident occurred mid-morning when the bustling market was alive with activity. Eyewitnesses say the truck was speeding when one of its tires suddenly exploded. In seconds, the driver lost control, and the vehicle swerved off the road, careening directly into the heart of the market.
“There was no warning. One moment people were bargaining, the next—screams, bodies flying, blood everywhere,” said Halima Yusuf, a food vendor who witnessed the carnage and escaped by inches. “I still can’t believe what I saw.”
Panic erupted as bystanders scrambled for safety. Wooden stalls were crushed like paper, and several victims were pinned under the truck. Emergency services raced to the scene, working desperately to rescue the injured and recover bodies from beneath the rubble.
Officials are yet to confirm the exact death toll, but multiple fatalities have been reported. Medical teams at nearby hospitals are battling to save the wounded, many of whom sustained critical injuries.
The truck driver has been arrested by police, and an official investigation has been launched to determine whether the crash was due to mechanical failure, human error, or both.
Mile 6 Market, one of the largest commercial centres in Taraba State, has now become a scene of heartbreak. Traders returned to find blood-stained stalls, destroyed goods, and missing colleagues. Grief has swept through the Jalingo community, with many residents demanding swift government action.
“This is not just an accident. It’s a wake-up call,” said local youth leader Salihu Danbaba. “There must be stricter checks on heavy-duty vehicles and proper road regulations around markets. These deaths were preventable.”
As of press time, the State Police Public Relations Officer had yet to comment, with multiple calls to his line going unanswered.
For a city already grappling with daily struggles, today’s tragedy adds a painful new chapter. And for the families of those lost, life at Mile 6 Market will never be the same again.
