A potentially catastrophic disaster was narrowly averted in Jos on the evening of Sunday, December 28, 2025, when a fully‑laden petroleum tanker lost its brakes and crashed into five other vehicles near the Polo Field Club Roundabout, between St. Louis College and the roundabout. The impact claimed the lives of two adult males and left 16 others injured — a grim reminder of the dangers lurking on Nigeria’s roads during the festive season.
The accident occurred at approximately 6:49 p.m., prompting an immediate response from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and a coalition of emergency services. Eyewitnesses reported that the tanker, carrying premium motor spirit (PMS), suffered a complete brake failure shortly after passing the Plateau State Specialist Hospital Roundabout. Unable to stop, the heavy vehicle descended the slope uncontrollably, smashing into parked and moving cars before coming to rest amid the wreckage.
“Two male adults died instantly at the scene,” confirmed *Superintendent Route Commander Peter Longsan*, Public Education Officer of the FRSC Plateau Command. “A total of 18 people were involved — the two fatalities and 16 injured individuals, who were swiftly transported to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital and Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) for urgent medical care. The bodies of the deceased were deposited at BUTH.”
Fortunately, the tanker’s cargo did not spill, averting a potentially deadly fire or explosion. Acting quickly, security and emergency agencies — including the FRSC, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Operation Rainbow, Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Nigerian Army, Federal Fire Service, Vehicle Inspection Officers, and the Nigerian Red Cross Society — cordoned off the area, diverted traffic, and prevented opportunistic looting. By midnight, the petroleum product had been safely transferred to another vehicle, debris cleared, and the road fully reopened to traffic.
In a statement, Sector Commander Olajide Mogaji praised the seamless coordination among agencies and the cooperation of the local community. “Road safety is everybody’s business,” he emphasized, urging drivers to remain vigilant, especially during the New Year period, and to report emergencies promptly via the FRSC’s toll‑free number, 122
The incident underscores the urgent need for stricter vehicle maintenance checks and heightened public awareness about road safety. As Nigerians prepare to welcome 2026, authorities are calling on all motorists to prioritize caution, avoid distractions, and take personal responsibility for safe driving.
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