No fewer than ten people have been confirmed to have died, while ten others sustained varying degrees of injuries, following motor accidents that occurred in Enugu State on Wednesday.
The spokesperson of the Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, who confirmed the figures on Thursday in a statement, said there were two separate tragic road accidents that occurred along the Ozalla/4-Corner axis of the dual-carriage Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway.
According to him, the crashes claimed ten lives and left ten others hospitalized.
“The first incident, a multiple-vehicle crash, happened at about 9 a.m. on the Enugu inbound lane. A Howo truck, inscribed Visco Investment Global and laden with bags of white cement, was en route to Abuja from Aba, Abia State, when it collided with a Toyota Corolla car that was attempting to overtake another truck on the same route. A Foton bus and a Daihatsu Hijet mini bus, both driving one-way, were also caught in the collision.
“Sadly, the truck and the Toyota Corolla car went up in flames, with five occupants of the car burnt to death. A passenger in the mini bus was equally confirmed dead by the attending medical doctor.
“Similarly, at about 3 p.m. on the same road, another fatal crash occurred. This time, it involved a Sino truck belonging to Global Investment and a tricycle. The truck, laden with cement and driving one-way from Garriki Enugu to Nenwe in Aninri LGA, on the same Enugu inward-bound lane, rammed into the tricycle, leading to the death of its four occupants. They were rushed to the hospital but later confirmed dead.
“Ten other persons, injured in the separate crashes, are currently receiving medical attention,” the statement read.
Ndukwe said the State Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, while mourning the tragic loss of lives and commiserating with the families of the deceased, has directed the State Motor Traffic Department to carry out a diligent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accidents.
He said, “The CP describes the crashes as avoidable and strongly cautioned drivers to exercise utmost care, especially during these Ember Months, when road traffic usually increases and accidents are more frequent.
“He reminded motorists that no journey is worth the loss of lives, urging them to shun recklessness, obey traffic rules, and prioritize safety over speed to prevent further tragedies.”
