BLACKWEDNESDAY! Blood And Sorrow As Multiple Deaths Rocks Nigeria

21 die, 14 injured in Niger, Oyo crash

Twenty-one persons died while 14 others sustained varying degrees of injuries on Tuesday in two crashes in Niger and Oyo states.

The Niger incident occurred on Bida-Mokwa Road, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said, while the Oyo crash took place on Ibadan-Ife Expressway.

Sector commander Joel Dagwa confirmed the figures in Minna, the state capital.

Dagwa said the incident occurred at Panti village as a heavy-duty vehicle with registration number ZUR690XA and a bus with registration number TN421XA collided.

“Twenty-seven people were involved in the accident; 13 died, while 14 others who sustained injuries were taken to Federal Medical Centre, Bida and General hospital, Kutigi, for treatment,” he said.

Spokesman of the corps Raji Egigogo said that the probable cause of the crash included fatigue, speeding and overloading.

The Oyo crash involved a trailer and commercial bus. The accident, according to sources, occurred as a result of brake failure on the part of the trailer carrying a container and heading towards the Ife Expressway but veered off the road and collided with the 16-seater bus said to be coming from Abuja.

Residents of Ibadan called on the state government to, as a matter of urgency, complete the ongoing dualisation of the road in the state, especially the Ibadan-Ife road.

Their appeal followed a ghastly accident that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when a trailer said to be coming from Lagos lost control due to a brake failure and collided with a 16-seater bus said to be coming from Abuja.

The collision occurred around Celica bus stop where the section of a lane of the expressway is closed.

Eyewitnesses explained that they were incapacitated to rescue the victims of the accident which occurred as early as 6:30 am but that help eventually came about 10:00am.