Five people lost their lives and 11 others were injured in a tragic auto crash involving a Nissan Caravan and a Mark Truck on the Itu-Calabar road on Saturday.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Akwa Ibom Sector Commander, Matthew Olonisaye, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.
Mr. Olonisaye attributed the crash to speeding and cautioned road users, particularly motorists, against speeding, wrong-way driving, and indiscriminate parking.
He revealed that the accident involved 11 males and five females. Three of the females and two males involved were confirmed dead, while the remaining ones sustained injuries of various degrees.
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The FRSC operatives promptly responded to the incident. “Upon arrival at the crash scene, the injured ones were moved to nearby hospitals for prompt medical attention while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the morgue,” Mr. Olonisaye explained.
Eyewitnesses at the scene attributed the cause of the crash to speed. Following the evacuation of the victims, the wreckage was cleared from the road to enable the free flow of traffic.
Mr. Olonisaye stressed that the accident could have been avoided if the drivers had observed certain safety measures and strictly adhered to traffic rules and regulations. He urged road users to exercise extreme caution during the Yuletide season to prevent similar occurrences.
The FRSC has been actively sensitising and enlightening motorists on safe road use to avert such incidents of road carnage. While expressing his condolences to the families of the deceased, Mr. Olonisaye wished the injured a speedy recovery.