By CHRIS OCHAYI, VINCENT
UJUMADU, OKEY NDIRIBE &
GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE
No fewer than 100 people
were killed in two separate
road accidents which
occurred in Okija, along
Owerri-Onisha Highway in
Anambra State and Ofosu,
the boundary town between
Edo and Ondo States
yesterday.
About 80 persons were
reportedly burnt to death in
the accident involving a
haulage truck, a petrol tanker
and the Young Shall Grow
double-decker bus at
Ugbogui Village, near Ofosu
at about 1.30pm just as 20
other passengers who were
travelling in two commercial
buses owned by the Rivers
State Transport Company,
RTC, reportedly died at Okija,
when another haulage truck
rammed onto them in the
early hours of the day.
Sources said that the
accident occurred as the
Young Shall Grow bus and
the haulage truck were
struggling over which vehicle
had the right of way and the
petrol tanker which was fully
loaded with petrol rammed
into the two vehicles and
burst into a huge ball of
flame. The victims were
burnt beyond recognition
even as the accident led to
traffic gridlock that lasted for
over three hours.
An official of the Federal
Road Safety Commission,
FRSC, who spoke on
condition of anonymity
confirmed the incident at
press time saying that only
three of the passengers
were rescued from the fully
loaded luxury bus pointing
out that the mangled bodies
of the victims littered the
scene.
Sene of the accident
involving a luxury bus,
trailer and tanker at
Ugbogui Village along
Benin-Ore Express road
Sene of the accident
involving a luxury bus,
trailer and tanker at
Ugbogui Village along
Benin-Ore Express road
According to the eye witness,
the victims of the Ore- Benin
accident included drivers of
the vehicles and their
conductors (motor-boys) and
53 passengers in the Luxury
bus.
Another source at the scene
however said that the
multiple accident occurred
when the haulage vehicle
which had a flat tyre rammed
into the tanker which also
swerved and rammed onto
the double-decker Luxury
bus, causing the petrol
tanker to explode and burst
into flame that consumed all
those around the area.
FRSC confirmed 36 dead in
Ore-Benin road crash
Also preliminary reports from
the FRSC stated that 36
persons dead in the Ore-
Benin road crash and that
the accident occurred when
a tyre from the Dangote
truck suddenly pulled out
and rammed into the tanker
which caught fire
immediately.
The Luxury bus which was
on speed, lost control and
ran into the blazing fire,
consuming its occupants.
However, an FRSC team was
on hand to rescue 3
passengers while 30 others
died from the Luxury bus.
The Tanker driver with his
conductor, in addition to the
Truck driver and his
conductor were also
confirmed dead. Two
children were also consumed
by the fire which spread to a
nearby mechanic workshop,
burning 8 additional vehicles
resulting to a heavy traffic
gridlock.
Meanwhile, a detachment of
the FRSC, Police and the
Construction Company were
at the scene for intensive
traffic control and diversion
of route to ensure seamless
traffic flow along the
corridor.
The Corps advises road users
on Benin road to take Oluku
junction – Ifon-Owo-Akure
road to Lagos while vehicles
from Lagos are advised to
take Akure – Owo road .
The FRSC also contacted the
Young Shall Grow transport
company and has a scanned
copy of its manifest which
confirms that 30 persons
boarded the bus earlier in
the day from the Jibowu
terminus to Enugu.
Disturbed by the recent spate
of road crash fatalities linked
to speeding and reckless
driving, the Federal Road
Safety Corps has decided to
evoke its statutory powers to
institute legal actions against
drivers and transport
operators whose vehicles are
responsible for such crashes.
Part of this arrangement
includes the Corps’ resolve to
assist victims and relations of
road crash victims to seek
compensation from such
fleet operators.
At Okija in Anambra State, an
eye witness told Saturday
Vanguard that a trailer had
rammed onto the oncoming
vehicles, including two buses
belonging to the RTC, killing
most of the occupants of the
two buses instantly.
The accident caused an
excruciating traffic jam on
both lanes. For several hours,
commuters were at stand
still as movement was
virtually impossible.
However, there was a little
respite on the expressway
after about two hours as
vehicles coming from the
Onitsha end had to divert at
Okija junction, while those
coming from the Owerri end
diverted at Ezego junction at
Ihiala.
Mangled bodies of the
victims were scattered along
the road, while those
wounded were taken to
nearby hospitals for
treatment.
Men of the Federal Road
Safety Corps, FRSC, and the
police, as well as other
volunteers were at the scene
of the accident clearing the
blocked road.
It was not clear what caused
the accident, but an eye
witness said that the trailer
driver might have lost control
on the sloppy road and
subsequently rammed onto
other vehiles.

Lord have mercy!!!May deir souls RIP..