By Abdulsalam Muhammad

KANO, Nigeria 

Seven people were killed on Sunday when a footbridge collapsed in the northwestern Nigerian city of Kano, police have said.

The seven were on a cab when the bridge, which was under construction, collapsed on them, police added.

Police spokesman, Magaji Musa Majia, noted that the incident took place at 5pm. He said policemen were sent to the site.

The victims, Majia said, included the driver of the cab. He said the vehicle was trapped by part of the collapsed bridge and that they were dead already by the time rescue workers recovered them.

Part of the bridge fell on the cab and flattened it as it tried to cross under it, according to Malam Ibrahim, an eyewitness.

Another eyewitness, Ahmed Kaka, said it took rescue workers two and a half hours to get the victims out of the collapsed bridge.