The Abia State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission has confirmed the death of a young girl and injuries to several others following a road accident involving an 18-seater commercial bus on Tuesday.
The unfortunate incident occurred along the Isiala Ngwa Ntigha stretch of the Aba-Port Harcourt expressway, drawing swift response from emergency agencies.
Speaking on the incident, the Abia State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Ngozi Ezeoma, confirmed that the bus was conveying 18 passengers when the crash occurred.
“It involved a commercial bus with 18 passengers.
“Nine male adults and 5 female adults were injured, while 1 female child died as confirmed on reaching the hospital,” she stated.
Ezeoma added that the injured victims were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Further accounts from other transporters revealed that the vehicle was traveling from Ebonyi State when the accident happened around 11 a.m.
Personnel from the Abia State Emergency Response Team, led by Faithwin Obioma Analaba, along with FRSC officers, were instrumental in rescuing the injured and conveying them for medical attention.
Although the official cause of the crash is still under investigation, eyewitness and transporter, Chukwudi Gideon, alleged that the bus developed a tyre fault mid-journey and veered off the road into nearby bushes, where it eventually somersaulted.