At least four passengers died in a road accident that occurred on Tuesday on the Enugu-Onitsha expressway.
Gatekeepers News reports that twenty-five (25) persons were rescued from the accident which occurred at the Ugwu Onyeama section of the military checkpoint of the expressway.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) made the announcement through a statement released by the corps spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident and swift legal action against the responsible driver.
Initial reports revealed that excessive speeding was the root cause of the crash, involving a total of seven vehicles.
The spokesman said, “The Federal Road Safety Corps has rescued 25 road traffic crash victims alive from the avoidable road traffic crash that occurred at Ugwu Onyeama on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway on June 11, 2024, at 19:00hrs; as Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed directs full investigation and speedy prosecution of the driver responsible for the fatal crash.”
“The preliminary crash investigation report revealed that the crash which was caused by a speed violation involved seven vehicles comprising a black Toyota Matrix bearing the following registration details ENU742NL, a white Suzuki Hijet mini bus ENU982XY, a Custom Toyota Highlander jeep JRV247HK, and a blue Toyota Corolla with registration number UWN16AP.”
“Others are; a Toyota Rav 4, a Red Mack Tanker and a Mazda vehicle.”
According to the reports, twenty-nine people were involved in the collision. Ten sustained various injuries, while four lost their lives.
The injured victims were given urgent medical attention at the Orthopaedic Hospital in Enugu, while the deceased were taken to the Park Lane Hospital morgue.
Ogungbemide added, “Meanwhile, the FRSC emergency rescue teams deployed to carry out rescue operations reported that the crash involved a total of 29 people comprising 20 male adults and nine female adults. Of the number, 10 victims comprising eight male adults and two females sustained different degrees of injuries.”
“Unfortunately, four victims were killed as a result of the crash. The FRSC investigation report indicates that of the four fatalities recorded, two victims were killed on the spot while the remaining two died in the hospital.”
“The injured victims were rescued to the Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu while the dead bodies have been deposited in Park Lane Hospital morgue.”
The Corps Marshal reiterated the force’s unwavering commitment to holding those responsible for road accidents accountable.
He further called upon the judiciary, transport unions, and other stakeholders to collaborate to ensure prompt and effective prosecution of traffic offenders.
The statement added “Expectedly, as a result, that the Corps Marshal had earlier emphasised the need for the maximum penalty for these drivers. Mohammed reaffirmed the position of the Corps on deepening its ongoing prosecution of drivers who by their actions cause road traffic crashes in Nigeria, noting that the driver responsible for the Ugwu Onyeama crash will not be spared.”
“As such, he called on the judiciary, leadership of transport unions and other relevant stakeholders in the road transportation sector to join hands with the Corps towards restoring sanity through speedy and effective prosecution of traffic violators, especially those who cause crashes on our roads.”
Residents of Enugu and the entire South East have persistently complained about the dominance of police and military checkpoints in the area. They referred to it as an occupation of the forces.
A witness said, “Tuesday’s accident was caused by an army checkpoint.”
According to eyewitnesses, a truck failed to break and overran so many vehicles that were stopped on the hilly road, killing many people.
One of them said, “A trailer plying the newly constructed lane failed break and smashed more than 10 cars both private cars and commercial buses. The army checkpoint at that axis continues to claim lives.”
“More than 25 persons lost their life instantly and many rushed to the hospital.”
A video captured by witnesses shows bodies of victims lying aimlessly on the road. Some vehicles including a petrol tanker truck were plunged into a nearby ditch, while some cars were smashed beyond recognition.
The Enugu State Police public relations officer (PRO), Daniel Ndukwe is yet to respond inquiries on the details of the incident at the time of this report.
