One die, 8 injured in Anambra highway crash

A yet-to-be-identified person has died in a road accident that occurred along the Owerri-Ihiala Expressway by the Ihiala Local Government Area secretariat on Tuesday.

It was gathered that the accident occurred at about noon and it involved two vehicles belonging to God is Good Logistics and a driver of a Nissan Caravan commercial bus.

According to eyewitness accounts, the driver of the Ford vehicle was at speed while one of its front tyres pulled off and he lost control and finally crashed into the back of the Nissan that was in its front.

The source said 11 people comprising seven male adults and four female adults were involved in the crash, while one male adult was killed, four male adults and four female adults were injured and two people were rescued unhurt.

The acting Sector Public Education Officer of the state Federal Road Safety Corps, Margaret Onabe, while confirming the accident, said the probable cause of the fatal crash was speed and loss of control.

Onabe said, “A commercial driver identified as Francis Basil with a black Ford E-250 bus with registration number No: JJJ842YG belonging to God is Good Logistics, and a driver of a custom Nissan Caravan commercial bus identified as Orjiwuru Augustine with registration number: TTK518XA was involved in a fatal road traffic crash two poles before Ihiala LGA Secretariat by Owerri-Ihiala Expressway today March 5, 2024, at about 12:00hrs.

“According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the Ford vehicle was at speed, one of his front tyres pulled off, he lost control and finally crashed into the back of the Nissan that was in front.

“11 people comprising seven male adults and four female adults were involved in the crash. One male adult was killed, while four male adults and four female adults were injured and two people were rescued unhurt.

“The FRSC rescue team from RS5.34 Ihiala Unit Command Anambra State rushed the victims to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala where one male adult was confirmed dead and his corpse deposited at the same hospital mortuary.

“The team in conjunction with policemen from Ihiala Divisional Police Station towed the crashed vehicles to the police station. Obstruction cleared and normalcy in human and vehicular movement restored.”

She added that the Sector Commander Anambra State, Corps Commander Adeoye Irelewuyi, sympathised with the family of the dead victim and wished the injured victims quick recovery.

“He seriously warned motorists to desist from disobeying traffic rules and regulations emphasising that traffic rules made was to advert this kind of crash that occurred. Drive to Save your Life and the lives of others on the road,” she added.