Eleven passengers were on Sunday night burnt to death in a fatal motor accident that occurred at Akagbe Ugwu axis of the Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressroad.
Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement on Monday, said that the accident involved a Toyota Hiace Bus with reg. no. KTG 41 XD. The bus was conveying 12 passengers, travelling from Owerri, Imo State to Kano State.
According to Ndukwe, “the vehicle is reported to have plunged into a broken-down and stationary Howo Sino truck, at Akegbe-Ugwu, along Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway and burst into fire, leading to eleven (11) of the travellers suffering severe burnt before emergency help could get to them. They were taken to the hospital and confirmed dead by doctors on duty”.
He said that further investigation has been initiated by the Motor Traffic Department (MTD) of the Command.
Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Enugu command, Joseph Toby, who also confirmed the incident, said that the commission has been warning drivers on the risk associated with night journey.
Toby said that the only surviving person was unconscious when they rushed him to UNTH yesterday. He also said that the Hausa community have approached the commission to allow them bury the burnt bodies.
“That’s what happened. We learnt that they were travelling to Kaduna before the accident occurred at four corner on Sunday night.
“We have been warning drivers about the risk in night journey but they gave it a deaf ear. The Hausa community in Enugu is making arrangement to bury the burnt bodies”, Toby said.
