At least six people were killed on Friday morning in a road accident in Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The accident occurred near the Nkalagu Flyover along the Nkalagu–Enugu Expressway when a commercial bus collided with a tipper truck.
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PREMIUM TIMES gathered that apart from the six deceased victims, 14 others were injured during the accident, which occurred at 9:40 a.m.
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ebonyi State, Anthony Ogbodo, confirmed the incident in a statement forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday evening.
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Mr Ogbodo said a report from the FRSC Unit in Nkalagu indicated that the crash was due to dangerous overtaking on the busy route.
“The patrol team received the distress call at 9:45 a.m. and arrived at the scene within five minutes, preventing further casualties,” he said.
The sector commander said the accident involved a white Toyota Hiace bus and a Mercedes-Benz 911 tipper truck.
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“A total of 22 persons were involved in the crash – 10 females and 12 males. Of these, six persons – three men and three women – lost their lives on the spot, while 14 others – nine men and five women- sustained serious injuries. Two male occupants escaped unhurt,” he said.
Mr Ogbodo said FRSC personnel, in collaboration with the Red Cross officials, swiftly evacuated the victims.
He said those with “critical injuries” were rushed to Annunciation Hospital and the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, while others received treatment at Ezzamgbo General Hospital, Ebonyi State.
The Sector Commander added that the road obstruction caused by the wreckage was promptly cleared to restore the free flow of traffic.
“Items recovered from the scene included two small Itel handsets, a tipper vehicle key, and N2,000 in cash,” he said.
Mr Ogbodo cautioned motorists to avoid dangerous overtaking and adhere strictly to speed limits, especially along the ever-busy Nkalagu–Enugu corridor, to prevent avoidable loss of lives.
“This unfortunate incident is a stark reminder that reckless overtaking and impatience on the road remain deadly habits. Drivers must value human life over speed or time,” he cautioned.
Public outcry
Meanwhile, public outcry has trailed the tragic crash, with residents urging the federal government and the Ebonyi State Government to intervene on the Enugu–Abakaliki Expressway, particularly around the Nkalagu axis.
READ ALSO: Ebonyi politician orders arrest of journalist, family begs for his release
A resident of Ebonyi State, Emmanuel Eze, posted an open message on his Facebook page on Friday, appealing to Governor Francis Nwifuru and Minister of Works Dave Umahi to remove concrete central pavements along sections of the expressway.
Mr Eze argued that the central concrete pavements were responsible for the accident because they made it impossible for the commercial bus to avoid the oncoming tipper.
“For many years, the road has been difficult to complete. Help us remove the heavy concrete central pavements that make it impossible for motorists to veer off the road to avert head-on collisions in the event of an emergency.
“Loss of lives is becoming too much (on the road), and all of us are plying the same route,” he appealed to Messrs Nwifuru and Umahi.
“Aside from the fact that your security convoy will always control both oncoming vehicles and those behind you. The commoners don’t have a security convoy to protect them from reckless drivers.”
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