Auto crash claims 19 lives, injures 8 in Kogi

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed that 19 people died and eight others sustained injuries in a fatal road accident that occurred on Sunday along the Lokoja-Obajana highway in Kogi State.

Kogi State Sector Commander, Mr. Kumar Tsukwam, disclosed the grim statistics in a statement issued on Monday in Lokoja. He explained that the crash resulted in multiple casualties, with the injured victims suffering various degrees of trauma, including deep cuts, fractures, dislocations, and burns.

He noted that the severity of injuries differed among the survivors, with some sustaining more serious conditions.

He said that the fatal accident occurred at Gadabiu community along the Lokoja-Obajana road in Lokoja Local Government Area of the state around 4pm on Sunday.

He revealed that among the 19 burnt to death were five children.

According to him, the fatal and very sad accident involved an articulated vehicle (Truck) and a Toyota Hummer Bus heading to Abuja from the South.

He said that it was a head-on collision when the bus, on high speed, tried to overtake an articulated vehicle only to face an oncoming articulated vehicle with no option.

“It was very unfortunate, because it was caused by speeding and wrongful overtaking and involved 27 persons with only eight survivors.

“Our rescue operation team and the police were able to rescue the eight survivors and rushed them to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana for immediate medical attention.

The commander said that the highways are not race roads and appealed to motorists to avoid over speeding and wrongful overtaking.

He also tasked motorists to always keep to traffic rules and regulations to help the corps and the federal government in reducing road traffic crashes and carnage on roads across the country.

(NAN)