By Tony Adibe
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed that 10 persons lost their lives in a multiple accident that involved seven vehicles within the Ozalla axis of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
The Sector Commander, FRSC Enugu State Command, Mr Franklin Agbakoba, disclosed this to newsmen in Enugu on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the unfortunate two fatal accidents that occurred on Wednesday in Enugu.
Agbakoba said that the two accidents, which occurred at about 9:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. respectively, happened within the Police Estate and Toll Gate axis of Ozalla along the ever-busy Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
“As usual, our officers and men from FRSC Ozalla Unit, along the road, quickly commenced the rescue process, rescuing no fewer than 30 persons and some with major injuries taken to the hospital,” he said.
He said that the multiple accidents involved a total of 40 people, while nine of them died at the spot, and a victim, who was taken to the hospital, died later in the night.
According to him, vehicles involved in the first incident included: a trailer, two buses, and a car; while the second incident involved three vehicles, which included: two trailers and a tricycle. He said that among the 40 people involved in the two crashes, the first crash involved 22 males, 11 females, and a child, while in the second incident, only six males were involved.
The sector commander said that the number of people injured in both crashes was 11; for the first incident, it was a male and nine females, while for the second incident only one male.
He said that FRSC officers and men from Ozalla Unit rescued 19 males in the first incident and a male in the second incident without injury: thus, making the people rescued without injury 20 males.
“The major cause of these two accidents is basic Road Traffic Violation (RTV) since the motorists involved took the wrong way. The axis has been fraught with motorists moving against traffic, and our FRSC Ozalla Unit Command has constantly carried out road education and enforcement against this negative road habit.
“Just last month, in August, the FRSC Ozalla Unit apprehended three drivers for RTV in the same axis where both accidents took place,” he said.
Agbakoba, however, called for road caution signs to be placed on the road, “so that motorists can slow down in the axis as construction is still ongoing. “I will also implore all drivers to take caution and excess a little patient in traffic-busy areas of the road as it is still under construction,” he added.
