Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of seven persons after a car rammed into a crowd at the 2022 Calabar carnival in Cross River state, Southern Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Sector Commander of the corps, Maikano Hassan disclosed that the incident occurred on Tuesday during the bikers’ activity in the Bobobiri area of the state.
14 states are reportedly present at the 2022 edition of the Calabar carnival to showcase their cultural heritage.
Hassan said a Toyota Camry vehicle lost control and crashed into a crowd watching the activities of the festival.
He added that 29 persons, comprising 21 male adults, three women, and five children sustained injuries.
According to him, all the injured persons are currently receiving medical treatment, while the bodies have been deposited at morgues at two hospitals in Calabar.
NAN reports that Governor Ben Ayade of the state and other dignitaries were already seated to witness the festival before the accident occurred.
The governor, while commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives, assured the people that the driver of the vehicle responsible for the accident would be arrested.
Ayade, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Christian Ita, ordered an immediate investigation to unravel how the motorist beat security barricades to have access to the routes which were closed to the public.
Ita added that the governor further directed the immediate discontinuation of the Bikers parade in honour of the victims of the accident.
Governor Ayade, however, sued for calm.
