The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of 19 people following a fatal road crash on Sunday along the Lokoja-Obajana road in Kogi State.
Kumar Tsukwam, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, disclosed the incident in Lokoja yesterday, stating that eight passengers sustained various injuries, including bruises, cuts, dislocations, fractures, and burns.
According to Tsukwam, the crash involved an articulated vehicle and a Toyota Hummer Bus travelling from the South to Abuja. “It was a head-on collision when the bus, speeding, attempted to overtake an articulated vehicle and collided with an oncoming articulated vehicle,” he said.
He added that the crash, which involved 27 passengers, left only eight survivors. “Our rescue operation team and the police managed to rescue the eight survivors and rushed them to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana, for immediate medical attention.”
Tsukwam attributed the tragedy to speeding and wrongful overtaking, urging motorists to adhere strictly to traffic regulations. “Highways are not race roads. Motorists must avoid speeding and overtaking recklessly to reduce road traffic crashes and carnage,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has expressed profound grief over the incident. In a statement issued in Lokoja by his Special Adviser on Media, Ismaila Isah, Governor Ododo described the accident as a devastating loss to the victims’ families and the state.
“This tragedy is a significant blow, and our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families during this difficult time,” the statement read.
