Tragedy struck on Thursday evening at the Ulasi River Bridge, Okija Junction, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, when a speeding trailer lost its brakes and rammed into a commercial bus, killing a woman and her child instantly.
The collision, which eyewitnesses said happened during peak rush hour, also left several passengers injured and rushed to a nearby hospital.
Residents told reporters that the Toyota Hiace bus, heading from Upper Iweka in Onitsha to Owerri, had been stopped on the bridge by revenue collectors when the truck slammed into it from behind.
One witness, Ibeabuchi Edeoga, described the scene as “horrific.” He said,
“The road was blocked by touts collecting money from drivers. A trailer on high speed lost its brakes and overran the bus. A woman and her child died instantly. Many passengers were unconscious when they were taken to the hospital, and this morning, we heard that some of them didn’t survive.”
Another eyewitness, Uchenna Odinaka, said the bridge’s railings prevented the accident from becoming a larger disaster.
“If not for the railings, the truck could have crushed more people and vehicles. The driver and his motor boy were rescued, but the two victims were already gone before help came,” he explained.
The Anambra State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed the crash but said investigations were still ongoing to determine the full cause and casualty figures.
FRSC spokesperson Margaret Onabe said, “We received a report of the accident and have commenced investigations. Further details will be released after our findings.”