Ten persons, yesterday, were feared dead when a commuter bus loaded with passengers rammed into a trailer conveying bags of cement at Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Staff Quarters’ Bus stop, along the dilapidated Enugu-Onitsha expressway, in Enugu State.
The Guardian learnt that bodies of the victims littered the dual-carriageway, while passers-by made frantic efforts to take the corpses and survivors to a nearby hospital.
According to an eyewitness, the accident occurred at about 9:45a.m. when an 18-seater bus marked: Enugu XL884 ENU rammed into an oncoming trailer carrying bags of cement.
The eyewitness, Chukwudi Ugwu, said the bus loaded from Abakpa, in Enugu East Local Council was heading to New Market when the accident occurred.
“The driver, identified as Simeon, was coming from Abakpa and made an attempt to overtake another vehicle ahead of him that was emitting smoke (carbon monoxide).
“As he made an attempt to overtake the vehicle, the trailer was very close and the next thing we heard was a loud sound and the bus was completely damaged. I don’t know how many survived, but I counted over eight dead bodies,” the eyewitness told The Guardian.
However, many residents attributed the accident to the poor state of the road, which has forced many motorists to drive against traffic.
Contacted, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Enugu Command, Joseph Toby, confirmed the incident.
He said: “ I just left the hospital where the injured passengers are being treated.”
