No fewer than five people have been confirmed dead, and 10 others are in critical condition following two separate road accidents that occurred along the Issele-Uku/Onicha-Ugbo axis of the Benin-Onitsha expressway in the Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The incident, as gathered, occurred on Tuesday, just a few days after a tanker explosion in Agbor, less than 10 kilometres from Issele-Uku, claimed some lives.
Our reporter gathered that one of the accidents involved a Toyota Sienna space bus, which reportedly veered off the road and somersaulted several times, leaving four of the occupants dead and others in critical condition.
Eyewitnesses said a family of four was among the occupants of the Toyota Sienna.
It was gathered that after the father gave up the ghost shortly after the accident, the wife and two children survived and were among those recuperating in the hospital.
The Delta State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Fredrick Ogidan, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased were occupants of a Sienna car, while the fifth casualty was in a minibus.
Most of the survivors of the accidents were promptly rushed to the Issele-Uku General Hospital and an FRSC clinic in the area for medical attention.
“It is true; the crashes happened. In fact, there were two crashes,” Ogidan confirmed in a conversation with reporters.
“In one, one person died, and we were able to rescue about five others. One was taken to our clinic, while the others were rushed to the hospital in Issele-Uku.
“In the other crash, four persons died, and we managed to rescue about five survivors.”
Ogidan attributed the accidents to fatigue and excessive speeding by drivers, who, he said, were overburdened by multiple trips.
“Most of these drivers are doing multiple trips because of money. You just discover that due to tiredness, they lose control.
“The road conditions are okay, but speed and fatigue are the major causes,” he explained.
The FRSC commander commended the swift response of emergency personnel, which he said saved several lives.
“We thank God because everybody could have died, but for our timely intervention.
“Many of them were given first aid at our clinic in Issele-Uku before being transferred to the hospital,” he added.
Ogidan also disclosed that another minor crash occurred on the same road on Tuesday morning, though no fatalities were reported.
“I just received a report that another one happened this morning. Fortunately, there were no deaths. All passengers were rescued and taken to the hospital,” he said.
The FRSC is urging drivers to prioritise rest and adhere to speed limits to prevent further tragedies.
“Speed and fatigue are the major forces. We cannot overemphasise the need for drivers to be cautious. Lives are at stake,” Ogidan warned.
He said efforts were ongoing to ensure the safety of commuters along the Benin-Onitsha expressway, which remains one of the busiest and most accident-prone routes in Delta State.
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