No fewer than nine candidates going to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations today were feared dead in an auto crash on the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.

The Public Relations Officer of the Abia State Police Command, Mr Geoffrey Ogbonna, said seven persons, including the driver died instantly while two others died later in hospital. The police did not identify the victims.

The police image maker said that the candidates were travelling on a Hiace bus with registration number Rivers XY 249 from Port Harcourt to Aba. Ogbonna said that the driver of the bus rammed into a truck with with registration number Lagos XC 109 SLK, parked off the road.

He said that the accident occurred at Obeaku-Ihie in the Ugwunagbor Local Government Area of Abia at about 10.40 a.m.
Ogbonna said that the dead had been deposited at the mortuary while six survivors of the accident were in critical condition and receiving medical attention in a hospital Aba.

He said that the 15 seater-bus, was conveying mainly people, going to sit for the JAMB examination, slated for 27 April.
According to him, the clue comes from the items recovered at the scene of the accident.

A witness, Mr Peter Okolo, attributed the accident to over-speeding and recklessness on the part of the driver.

He said that the driver lost control of the vehicle when he wanted to overtake a vehicle in front of him.

“When he saw an upcoming vehicle while he was over-taking the car in front of him, he veered off the road and then rammed into the truck parked off the road,” Okolo said.

Source: http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/04/27/9-jamb-candidates-die-in-accident/