Five feared dead in multiple accidents in Onitsha

210 persons died last year in auto crash on Ogun State roads

No fewer than five persons were feared dead in a multiple accident involving an articulated truck, a tipper, a commercial bus owned by Onitsha South Mass Transport Company and a car in Anambra.An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the accident occurred around 6:00a.m. on Sunday near Zik’s Roundabout, along the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, Onitsha.

The source said the unmarked articulated vehicle allegedly drove into the expressway carelessly and ran into the oncoming tipper and other vehicles.
According to the source, the tipper lost control and hit the commercial bus and other vehicles on the road while trying to dodge the articulated vehicle. The source said five persons died on the spot while many others sustained serious injuries.

The source said: “Personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps and that of Willie Work Force were those who later took the dead and wounded to hospital.”When contacted, the state FRSC Sector Commander, Sunday Ajayi, said efforts to get the details from his men proved abortive. Ajayi said: “I just want to advise road users to exercise extreme caution as they ply the roads and to ensure that their vehicles are in good shape before setting out on any journey.”

It was gathered that a similar accident involving three vehicles also occurred by New Tyre Market along the Onitsha-Awka expressway on Saturday afternoon. Sources said the accident allegedly left two persons in a commercial bus dead on the spot while many sustained injuries.

Also, three persons have died in a multiple accident along the Benin-Ore road. The accident, which occurred very close to the Ovia River, involved four trucks.

According to a witness, one of the trucks with diesel, was said to have run into another truck conveying iron rods. Two other trucks ran into them to cause a traffic gridlock on the road. An official of the FRSC, who spoke to newsmen confirmed the deaths and said that two of the bodies had already been evacuated to a morgue. He also said that the accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, adding that the fourth driver was seriously injured and has been taken to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the FRSC in Ogun State on Saturday confirmed that 210 persons lost their lives while several others were injured in various auto crashes across the state in 2017.The FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Mr. Clement Oladele, said 365 crashes were recorded in the state during the period, explaining that the figure had reduced compared to 270 deaths in 386 crashes recorded in 2016. He noted that the rate of road crashes had reduced by 4.7 per cent during the period compared to the previous year.

According to the sector commander, a greater percentage of the accidents were caused by speeding, break failure, usage of mobile phones while driving, wrongful overtaking and burst tyres. The FRSC boss advised motorists to be cautious and avoid travelling when visibility was blurred.