Seven killed, nine injured in auto crash

The Punch

No fewer than seven people died on Thursday, while nine others were left in critical conditions after a commercial bus collided with a truck conveying diesel on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident happened on the Onigari end of the road.
Onigari is a boundary community between Ogun and Oyo states.
Our correspondent learnt that the driver of the Mazda bus was on top speed when he had a head-on collision with the truck.

The collision was said to have been partly caused by the ongoing construction work on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
A rescue official told our correspondent that the construction work led to the closing of one side of the road, as motorists were forced to share one lane.

He said, “The accident involved a commercial bus and a truck. The driver of the bus was on top speed and suddenly collided with the truck which was approaching from the other end.

“One side of the road is completely blocked and vehicles coming to Lagos and those heading towards Oyo State have to share a lane. So, it was while the vehicles were managing to share a lane that the accident happened.

“The result was fatal; there were many dead bodies on the road.”
The incident was said to have caused a traffic jam on the road, as curious motorists and passengers gazed at the remains of the victims.

PUNCH Metro was told that officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps later arrived at the scene to clear the debris and free traffic.

They were said to have handed over the corpses to the police and taken the injured persons to a hospital in Ogun State.

The Sector Commander, Ogun State FRSC, Mr. Adegoke Adetunji, confirmed the accident, adding that 16 people were involved in the crash.

He said, “It was a head-on collision which occurred around the Onigari area. Two vehicles were involved ─ a Mazda bus, filled with passengers and a truck loaded with diesel. The bus dangerously overtook the truck.

“Sixteen people were involved in the crash. Nine people were injured and seven lost their lives. The injured persons were taken to Ifeoluwa Hospital in Ogun State, because of its closeness to the scene of the accident.”

The spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency, South West zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, appealed to motorists to always exercise caution when driving on the expressway.