Edo: 12 Burnt to Death in Benin-Auchi Road Crash Amid Tears, Details Emerge

• Tragedy struck on Saturday morning, March 1, along Benin-Auchi highway as 12 passengers were burnt to death
• As reported by the press, the tragedy happened in an accident involving a truck and a Toyota Hiace bus
• According to authorities, the bus, which departed from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and was heading to Benin, collided with an oncoming truck en route to Auchi

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro.

Auchi, Edo state - A fatal accident involving a passenger bus and a truck on the Benin -Auchi road, has killed 12 people.

As reported by Blueprint on Sunday, March 2, the accident reportedly occurred at about 5 am on Saturday, March 1, at Igueoviobo community in Edo state.

Edo accident: FRSC speaks

The Nation quoted Cyril Mathew, Edo sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), as confirming the incident. Mathew said the bus, which departed Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and was heading to Benin City, collided with an oncoming truck en route to Auchi.

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Mathew said:

“The entire occupants of the bus were killed in the crash.

“The accident likely resulted from fatigue, as the driver might have dozed off, leading to the collision."

Following the impact, the bus was engulfed in flames, making it impossible to save the victims.

Furthermore, the FRSC official disclosed that his colleagues were able to identify the deceased through the vehicle’s manifest and had since contacted their families.

Mathew, who urged drivers to avoid fatigue while on long journeys, added that the truck driver and his assistant escaped unhurt.

Frequency of road accidents in Nigeria

Legit.ng reports that Nigeria has been grappling with the menace of road traffic crashes for decades, resulting in the loss of countless lives and leaving many families in tears.

The country’s roads were bedevilled by accidents caused by a combination of factors, including poor roads, reckless driving, and inadequate enforcement of traffic laws.

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The total number of road traffic crashes in Q2 2023 was 2,967, indicating an increase of 8.56% from the previous quarter which recorded 2,733 and a 9.60% fall from 3,282 in Q2 2022. Of all crashes, serious cases stood top in Q2 2023 with 1919 compared to fatal and minor cases with 756 and 292 respectively.

Read more on road accidents in Nigeria:

• Tragedy as Anambra anti-tout squad vehicle collides with tipper, kills 6
• Deadly road accident in Ogun state results in two deaths and five injuries
• 19 wedding guests die in Plateau while returning home

Newlywed couple, others escape death in Lagos

Earlier, Legit.ng reported recently that at least 16 passengers, including a newlywed couple, cheated death following the collision of a commercial bus and a mini truck on Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos state.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), in a statement by the spokesperson Adebayo Taofiq, said the newlywed couple were returning to the mainland from the Ikoyi Marriage Registry.

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According to Taofiq, the accident occurred when an LT bus developed brake failure while at speed and collided with a mini-truck near Ilaje, heading towards Iyana Oworonsoki axis of Lagos state.

Source: Legit.ng