17 soldiers, others killed as buses collide in Niger

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At least 22 people have died, 17 of them soldiers, after two buses crashed into each other in southern Niger, the West African country’s transport ministry said Saturday.

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The accident, a head-on collision between two buses, happened on Friday night some 50 kilometres (35 miles) from the town of Madaoua, said the ministry statement.

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Another 37 people were injured in the accident, it added.

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Earlier Saturday, the country’s official ANP news agency said one of the buses had been carrying soldiers and said an investigation into what caused the crash had been opened.

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This latest incident comes as the authorities campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of road accidents, a frequent occurrence on the vast Sahel nation’s roads.

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In 2025, Niger recorded more than 7,000 road accidents which killed over 1,200 people and left more than 4,400 with serious injuries, according to the Nigerien Agency for Road Safety.

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Speeding, drink-driving and the poor state of both the roads and cars remain the main causes of incidents.

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AFP

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