TWO persons died and one critically injured in an auto crash that occurred near the Government House, Makurdi, Benue State in early hours of Saturday.
The accident, according to an eyewitness, happened at about 8.00 a.m. due to over speeding by the driver of the car.
The Honda Civil Saloon with a car dealer sticker was said to have lost control ramming the vehicle almost into the residence of the Catholic Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, safe for a tree that stopped it.
The driver was said to be a car dealer was in a hurry to attend to a customer waiting for him only to be involved in the crash.
He reportedly died on the spot, while the second person was confirmed dead at the emergency ward of the Federal Medical Center, Makurdi.
An associate of the driver, who did not want to be mentioned said: “Around 7.30 this morning, he received a call from a customer, who said he was waiting for him at his car shop.”
“The driver was over speeding, and on approaching the bend at the Government House roundabout, heading towards CBN road, I was told he lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree at the front of Catholic Bishop residence.”
An eyewitness who identified himself simply as Ali , said the accident occurred as a result of impatience on the side of the driver.
According to him, ‘God was my saving grace because, i was standing in front of the Bishop House to take motorcycle to my School when I saw the vehicle with heavy speed coming towards me. I quickly ran out of the spot where I was standing but suddenly, I heard a thunderous sound at my back, only to turn and see the vehicle nearly hit the entrance gate to bishop house.
‘’The driver of the car overtook a vehicle in front of him at the government house roundabout and suddenly he lost control’’.
A police officer from ‘’A Division’’ on patrol on the road when the accident happened, who preferred anonymity also attributed the cause of the accident to ‘excessive speed’.
The Police Public Relation Officer, Benue State Command, ASP. Moses Yamu, confirmed the the accident.
Yamu said,’’ yes, there was terrible accident along the government house roundabout and the driver died instantly but the second person is responding to treatment . It was a case of over speeding and disobeying traffic rules. I always advise people not to over speed and also respect traffic officers for their best interest’’.
Meanwhile, the remains of the deceased were said to have been deposited at the morgue of Federal Medical Center Makurdi.
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