Like a morbid recurring decimal, the ever-busy Abuja-Lokoja road has, again claimed the lives of 15 lives, according to reports by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The corps on Tuesday confirmed 15 persons dead and five others seriously injured in an auto crash in the Kogi State end of the road that leads to the Federal Capital Territory and on to Kaduna. On the southern flank, the road leads to Benin, and to Lagos, the nation’s commercial capital. A detour at Lokoja takes travellers to the southeastern flank of the country.
Tens of lives have been lost on the arterial way, especially between Abuja and Kogi State in the last few months.
The tragedy followed a collision between J-5 Boxer Bus and a Petroleum Tanker, at Koton-Karfe along Lokoja-Abuja highway around 7.30am on Tuesday.
Corps Commander Stephen Dawulung, Kogi FRSC Sector Commander, who confirmed the incident, said that the 5 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.
The sector commander 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, agency news report quoted him.
“The bus driver left his lane and was driving in the opposite direction on high speed only to have a head on collision with an on coming 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 crash.