FRSC blames over speeding as 16 passengers die in Kogi lone crash

By Opeyemi Gbemiro

Sixteen people were confirmed dead while six others sustained varying degrees of injuries from the crash in a fatal road crash that occurred at Aku village along the Okene–Lokoja Road in Kogi at about 9:20 p.m. on Thursday.

The ghastly crash involved a white commercial Toyota Hiace bus with registration number, BUS 17 ZD which plunged into a ditch, the Federal Road Safety Corps ((FRSC) Kogi sector Commander, Lawan Fagge confirmed in a statement on Friday

According to the sector commander, a total of 22 people were involved in the lone crash, comprising 21 male adults and one female adult.

He disclosed that 16 victims — 15 male adults and one female adult — died at the scene of the accident, while the remaining six male passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The FRSC sector commander said preliminary findings from injured survivors indicated that fatigue and speeding were responsible for the crash.

He noted that the vehicle was travelling from Jos to Lagos before the incident occurred.

Fagge stated that one of the rescued victims was taken to the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, while the other five injured passengers were receiving treatment at Osara Hospital.

Describing the crash as avoidable, the sector commander condemned night journeys undertaken without adequate rest, stressing that the driver could have stopped at a park to rest before continuing the trip.

He also used the opportunity to advise motorists against driving under stress and over- speeding, warning that such practices continued to contribute significantly to road crashes across the country.

Fagge sympathised with families of the deceased and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery.

(NAN)