Pregnant Woman, 2 Children & 7 Others Die In Fatal Crash In Abakaliki Ebonyi State

It was a sad day yesterday as a
pregnant woman, two children
and seven others perished in an
auto crash involving an 18-
seater bus and an articulated
crane lorry belonging to a
Chinese construction firm in
Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
The incident occurred at about
8.45a.m at Ogbe-Awusa
junction along the ever-busy
Onueke-Afikpo Federal Highway
when the bus, belonging to the
Ezza South Mass Transit with
registration number, NKE, 28LG
rammed into the crane lorry
which was making a U- turn on
the road.
The ill fated bus was said to
have loaded from Onueke, Ezza
South council headquarters
coming to Abakaliki when the
incident occurred.
Men of the Federal Road Safety
Corps (FRSC), Ebonyi Sector
Command were at the scene to
save some of the victims,
although it was gathered that
the bus driver died on the spot.
An eyewitness, Mr. Favour
John, who spoke to our
correspondent at the scene,
said “accidents usually happen
all the time at this Ogbe-Awusa
junction. The truck was trying
to turn all the way from Spera
in Deo junction but the bus
driver was on a very high speed
and could not exercise
patience, just like other
commuters who parked and
waited for the lorry to complete
its turning but, because the
driver was on speed, he
rammed into the crane resulting
in this number of casualties.”
Another eyewitness, Chibuike
Nwali also lamented that it was
painful that many passengers
died in an accident many
believed was avoidable.
“The impatience of the driver
led to this accident. The most
painful thing was the death of a
woman and her two kids who
died instantly at the scene. I
was just coming out from my
house and on getting to this
junction, this crane was turning
when the bus rammed into it.”
However, an FRSC official, who
did not want his name in print
revealed that his men on duty
have impounded the same bus
because of dangerous and
reckless driving of the deceased
driver just last week before
yesterday’s incident and
lamented that despite the
efforts of the commission,
commuters still indulged in
reckless driving which poses
great danger to other road
users.
Meanwhile, when contacted,
Caretaker Committee Chairman
of Ezza South Council Area, Mr.
Joseph Egede confirmed the
incident and said the survivors
had been taken to the Federal
Teaching Hospital (FETHA),
Abakaliki, for treatment while
the dead have been deposited
at the mortuary.
[Reported By Daily Sun]