NO fewer than 10 people have lost their lives while six others sustained injuries in a fatal road accident at the Saapade Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the crash involved a white Sinotruk truck with no visible registration number and a white Toyota Hiace bus bearing registration number EKY 290 YM.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Sector Command of the FRSC, Afolabi Odunsin, 18 people were involved in the accident, comprising 15 adult men, two adult women, and one male child.
He disclosed that 10 people: nine adult men and one male child died in the crash, while six others, including four adult men and two adult women, suffered varying degrees of injuries. Two adult men escaped unhurt.
Preliminary investigations by the FRSC attributed the crash to speeding, wrongful overtaking, and dangerous driving.
The agency explained that the truck driver allegedly reversed on the highway after missing his route, while the approaching bus, travelling at high speed, attempted to pass through the limited space before colliding with the truck.
FRSC rescue teams responded to the scene and evacuated the injured victims to Victory Hospital in Ogere for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to FOS Mortuary in Ipara.
The damaged vehicles have been handed over to officers of the Nigeria Police Force at the Ishara Division for further action.
The Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Oludare Ogunjobi, expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
He also cautioned motorists, especially commercial drivers and truck operators, against reversing on highways, excessive speeding, dangerous driving, and other traffic violations.
The command urged all road users to obey traffic regulations, maintain safe speeds, and use designated turning points whenever they miss their routes, noting that adherence to these measures can help prevent avoidable tragedies on the nation’s highways.
