‘Devastating, avoidable,’ FRSC boss reacts to 28 deaths in Lagos/Ibadan expressway crashes

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Malam Shehu Mohammed has reacted to the two fatal crashes that claimed a total of 28 lives with many others injured on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Tuesday.

The fatal crashes occurred at Ajao, opposite Bovas fuel station on the Ojoo/lwo road; as well as at Malo, both on the Lagos/Ibadan express way with 16 and 12 people recorded dead respectively in the crashes.

Mohammed, in a statement issued in Abuja by FRSC spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide attributed the crashes to reckless driving.

Mohammed who sympathised with the families of victims of the fatal crashes described the accidents as devastating and avoidable.

According to him, drivers must imbibe safe road use attributes and discard any temptation to contravene established road traffic regulations.

The Corps Marshall noted that the Ibadan crash occurred at 09:20am and involved four vehicles, resulting in 16 deaths and 17 injuries adding that the Malo crash occurred at 03:14pm and involved a white mazda bus, resulting in 12 deaths and four injuries.

“The Ibadan crash which occured at 09:20am, involved four vehicles; a White Mack Truck (AKM 548 ZY) which had a break failure, lost control and crashed into three other vehicles: a White Nissan Bus (MUB 20 LG), Red Nissan Micra (BDJ 520 YC) and a Blue Honda CRV (KRD 707 ER).

“The Malo fatal crash occurred at exactly at 03:14pm involving a White Mazda Bus (DDA733XA). The driver had indulged in a wrongful overtaking, which made him loose control of the wheels and eventually crashed.

“Reports received at the national headquarters show that the Ibadan crash involved 35 people comprising of 14 male adults, 10 female adults, six female children, and five male children.

“From that number, 17 sustained varying degrees of injuries while 16 victims were killed,”he said.

Meanwhile, the Malo crash had 16 people involved (12 male adults, three female adults as well as one female child).

“Out of this, 12 victims (8 male adults three female adults and one female child) were killed while the remaining four people (All male adults) got rescued with injuries.

“The injured victims of the Ibadan crash were taken to Amudalat Hospital, Ibadan for medical attention while the dead bodies were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Divisional Office in Ibadan.

“The bodies of the 12 victims killed in the crash have been deposited in FOS Morgue in Ipara,”he said.

Mohammed, however, directed the immediate arrest of the fleeing driver of the articulated vehicle for prosecution.

The Corps Marshall said FRSC as intensifying efforts in its partnership with the Judiciary to ensure that all drivers involved in fatal crashes, would have their licences suspended.

hE added that such drivers would be made to face the wrath of the law.
(NAN)