Five people have been confirmed dead and 18 others injured following a multiple-vehicle crash along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway on Thursday.
The fatal accident occurred at about 3:18 p.m. around the Ugwuonyeama axis of the expressway, specifically near the LNG Plant at Ugwu-Onyeama.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Route Commander and Enugu State Sector Command Public Enlightenment Officer, Theophilus Okoduwa, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.
Okoduwa said the crash involved a Donhfeng trailer, a Mitsubishi L300 commercial bus and a Honda car, with 25 people—13 males and 12 females—involved in the accident.
He said 18 people, comprising seven males and 11 females, sustained injuries, while four males and one female died from the impact of the crash.
“Within nine minutes of reporting the incident to the FRSC Sector Command at about 3:25p.m, our officers and marshals as well as patrol vehicles and ICU ambulance arrived at the scene.
“The injured victims were taken to nearby Tex Hospital, 9th Mile Corner, for immediate medical attention while after confirmation from medical officials, the remains of the five deceased were deposited at Ekochin Morgue, 9th Mile.
“We have diverted traffic and efforts are still ongoing to clear obstruction caused by wreckage of the vehicles involved in the multiple crash,” he said.
The FRSC official said preliminary findings indicated that wrongful overtaking and speed violation might have contributed to the crash.
The agency advised motorists using the busy expressway to exercise caution, avoid dangerous overtaking and comply with speed limits to prevent further loss of lives.
