Four serving members of the National Youth Service Corps and a soldier have lost their lives in a fatal road crash along the Yola–Mubi highway in Adamawa State, throwing two national institutions and several families into mourning.

The collision occurred near the Narehi community in the Girei–Song axis of the busy route, a corridor frequently used by commuters, security personnel and students travelling between Yola and towns in northern Adamawa.

According to the Adamawa State Police Command, the crash involved a military gun truck heading from Gombi towards Yola and a commercial Hummer bus travelling in the opposite direction to Mubi with five passengers on board.

Police spokesman Suleiman Nguroje said preliminary investigations indicated that the two vehicles were involved in a head-on collision. The impact reportedly caused the commercial bus to somersault before bursting into flames, trapping all occupants.

By the time emergency responders arrived, all five passengers in the bus had been burnt beyond recognition. Early identification showed that four of them were serving corps members posted to Adamawa State for their mandatory one-year national service.

Two of the victims were named as Suleiman Juliet and Usman Shuaibu, both from Kaduna State. Efforts are ongoing to conclusively identify the remaining victims and notify their families.

The police further confirmed that a soldier travelling in the military vehicle also died in the crash. Other military personnel involved were said to have sustained varying degrees of injury, though details of their condition were not immediately disclosed.

The remains of the dead were evacuated to the Specialist Hospital in Yola, where pathologists and investigators are working to complete formal identification and documentation.

Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Kabir Hassan, extended condolences to the bereaved families, the Nigerian Armed Forces and the NYSC community, describing the incident as a profound loss.

The tragedy has renewed concerns over road safety on the Yola–Mubi corridor, where heavy security presence, commercial traffic and poor driving culture often converge. Authorities say a full investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the collision and to prevent a recurrence.