The Federal Road Safety Corps has confirmed that 19 people, including five children, lost their lives in a fatal auto crash along the Lokoja-Obajana road on Sunday.
Eight others sustained various injuries in the accident.
Kogi State FRSC Sector Commander, Mr. Kumar Tsukwam, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lokoja on Monday. According to him, the crash occurred around 4 p.m. at Gadabiu community in Lokoja Local Government Area.
Tsukwam explained that the accident involved a head-on collision between a Toyota Hummer Bus traveling to Abuja from the South and an articulated truck. He attributed the crash to speeding and wrongful overtaking.
“It was very unfortunate because it was caused by speeding and wrongful overtaking and involved 27 persons with only eight survivors,” Tsukwam stated.
He further revealed that some survivors suffered bruises, cuts, dislocations, fractures, and fire burns. FRSC rescue teams, alongside the police, evacuated the injured and rushed them to Fisayo Hospital in Obajana for urgent medical treatment.
The Sector Commander urged motorists to exercise caution, emphasizing that highways are not race tracks.
“Our rescue operation team and the police were able to rescue the eight survivors and rushed them to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana for immediate medical attention,” he said.
Tsukwam appealed to drivers to adhere to traffic regulations to reduce road accidents.
“The highways are not race roads. We appeal to motorists to avoid overspeeding and wrongful overtaking,” he stressed.
He also called on motorists to comply with traffic rules to support government efforts in minimizing road crashes nationwide.