Three mourners killed in auto crash in Akwa Ibom

The victims were returning from a burial event.

Three people returning from a funeral event died in a motor crash along Eket-Etinan road, Akwa Ibom, on Saturday, the federal road safety said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that an 18 seater Nissan bus with registration number Enugu XA 107-ENU, coming from Eket and going to Etinan, rammed into a stationary truck with registration number Abia SSM-66XA.

A NAN correspondent who visited the scene of the crash at Ikot Etobo Itreto, Nsit Ubium LGA, reports that the bus was badly destroyed with blood stains all over the vehicle.

An eye witness, Udoh Marcus, said that the occupants of the bus were returning from a burial ceremony in Ibeno LGA on Friday.

He said the stationary truck had mechanical fault and was being attended to by three mechanics when the accident occurred.

Mr. Marcus said it seemed clear the bus driver might have lost control because of speeding or sleeping.

“I observed that three mechanics were repairing the broken down truck when suddenly the mini bus ran into them, killing one, Linus Okafor, a mechanic, at the spot and injuring the other two,” he said.

“The driver might have dosed off as a result of fatigue from the night vigil for the deceased.”

The driver of the bus, whose name was not immediately known, also died on the spot.

Mr. Odo Kelvin, Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Eket Akwa Ibom, confirmed that three people died in the incident and attributed it to over speeding.

He said that the driver of the mini bus lost self control.