Calabar Carnival: Death toll rises to eight

The death toll in the Calabar carnival tragic incident has increased to eight, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Cross River, Maikano Hassan, disclosed this to NAN in Calabar on Wednesday.

NAN reports that a tragic incident occurred on Tuesday during the Bikers’ parade carnival, an integral part of the annual Calabar carnival.

The incident occurred in front of the Jumat Mosque in Bogobiri when a driver of a Camry car lost control and rammed into the crowd of onlookers.

Seven people died on the spot, while 29 others were rushed to the Naval Hospital and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for medical attention.

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The injured included 21 male adults, three women, two male children and three female children.

The FRSC sector commander said the additional casualty was one of the injured three female children.

“We went round the hospital where the injured were being treated to discover that one additional death had been recorded.

“We are also pleased to say that some of those injured in the incident had been discharged, while others were responding well to treatment,” he said.

NAN reports that the Tuesday incident, which had Governor Ben Ayade and other dignitaries in attendance, brought the day five activities of the carnival to an abrupt end.

NAN also reports that the annual carnival, which started during the administration of former Governor Donald Duke, had not been held in the last two years.

The carnival was suspended in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, while no reason was given for its failure to hold in 2021.

Meanwhile, the governor has condoled the families of those who lost their lives and promised to bring to book the driver of the vehicle who caused the accident.

READ ALSO: Calabar carnival will hold this year – Official

The driver of the vehicle had been arrested. He is under police watch in an undisclosed health facility where he is receiving treatment for the injury sustained in the crash.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Sule Balarabe, confirmed the arrest of the driver.

(NAN)