19 dead, eight injured in tragic Lokoja-Obajana road crash

A tragic head-on collision on the Lokoja-Obajana Road in Kogi State on Sunday claimed 19 lives, including five children, and injured eight others, the FRSC confirmed, attributing the crash to speeding and wrongful overtaking

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] devastating auto crash that occurred on Sunday along the Lokoja-Obajana Road in Kogi State has claimed the lives of no fewer than 19 persons, with eight others sustaining injuries.

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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the incident on Monday.

Mr. Kumar Tsukwam, the state Sector Commander of the FRSC, provided details to newsmen in Lokoja, the state capital.

He stated that the fatal accident took place at the Gadabiu community, within the Lokoja Local Government Area, around 4:00 PM on Sunday.

According to Tsukwam, the collision involved an articulated vehicle (truck) and a Toyota Hummer bus that was en route to Abuja from the southern part of the country.

It was very unfortunate, because it was caused by speeding and wrongful overtaking and involved 27 persons with only eight survivors.

He described it as a head-on collision, explaining that the bus, traveling at high speed, attempted to overtake another articulated vehicle but instead swerved into the path of an oncoming truck, leaving no room for avoidance.

“It was very unfortunate, because it was caused by speeding and wrongful overtaking and involved 27 persons with only eight survivors,” Tsukwam lamented.

He further revealed the grim detail that among the 19 fatalities, five were children who were burnt to death.

The survivors sustained various injuries, including bruises, cuts, dislocations, fractures, and fire burns. FRSC rescue teams, working alongside the police, swiftly transported the eight injured individuals to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana, for immediate medical attention.

The Sector Commander used the opportunity to reiterate the corps’ appeal to motorists to adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations.

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“Our highways are not race roads,” he cautioned, urging drivers to avoid excessive speeding and wrongful overtaking to help reduce road traffic crashes and the resulting carnage across the country.