Fifteen persons have been killed while five others were seriously injured in an auto crash that occurred in Kogi.
NigeriaCrime.com learned that the crash followed a collision between a J-5 Boxer Bus and a Petroleum Tanker, at Koton-Karfe along Lokoja-Abuja highway around Tuesday morning.
Kogi FRSC Sector Commander, Stephen Dawulung who confirmed the incident, said that the five injured persons were rushed to Ideal Hospital at Koton-Karfe for immediate medical attention.
Dawulung said that the corpses of the dead victims have been deposited at the Morgue of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja.
He explained that the cause of the crash was due to sheer violation of traffic rules by the bus driver, who was driving against traffic while heading to Abuja from Lokoja.
“The bus driver left his lane and was driving in the opposite direction at high speed only to have a head-on collision with an oncoming petroleum tanker.
“Thank God the tanker which was laden with Petroleum product did not go up in flames, which could have been more devastating and worrisome.
“The unfortunate thing is that the bus was conveying iron cramps with 17 passengers, 15 of which were terribly squeezed and chocked to death during the collision,
“It’s sad the prevalent disabuse of traffic rules and regulations by motorists and commuters. Vehicles meant for Goods should strictly Carry only goods and not passengers as in this unfortunate case,” Dawulung lamented
The FRSC Commander, however, commiserated with the families of the victims and advised motorists to always adhere to traffic rules and regulations to avoid unwanted auto crashes.
In a related development, an unnamed okada rider has been crushed to death in a tanker accident at the Alaba Express Bus Stop along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos State.
The 33,000-litre tanker conveying premium motor spirit outbound Mile 2 accidentally lost control and fell on its side after a collision with a motorcycle.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) in a statement confirmed the death of the motorcyclist.
Its Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu said unfortunately, the okada rider was crushed to death underneath the tanker and its contents are spilling onto the road rendering the scene extremely hazardous to other motorists and passersby.
Also, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue confirmed that “an adult male motorcyclist” was trapped beneath the tanker.