The Federal Road Safety Commission has confirmed the death of two individuals in a road accident that occurred on Sunday at Ntigha Junction, along the Abia State portion of the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.
The Sector Commander of the Abia State FRSC Command, Ngozi Ezeoma, provided details of the incident on Monday during a press briefing with newsmen.
According to Ezeoma, the accident took place around 5:00 pm when a Toyota Hiace bus, carrying 16 passengers, lost control.
The passengers, who were returning from a church program, were on their way home when disaster struck.
Ezeoma explained that the incident was reported to the FRSC just five minutes after it occurred, and their team quickly responded.
Upon arriving at the scene, the officers discovered that one male passenger had died instantly. A second passenger, found in critical condition, was immediately rushed to Central Medical Centre in Mbawsi for urgent medical attention.
Despite the best efforts of the medical team, the second passenger succumbed to their injuries, raising the death toll to two.
The sector commander further revealed that a preliminary investigation indicated that the crash was caused by a burst tyre while the vehicle was in motion.
Several other passengers sustained injuries and were transported to the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia for treatment.
Ezeoma extended her condolences to the families of the deceased and stressed the importance of adhering to road safety measures.
“This is why we are intensifying efforts to educate drivers about the dangers of using substandard tyres and the importance of following all road safety regulations,” she remarked.
She also urged passengers to speak out against reckless driving, especially during the high-risk Ember months, noting that accidents often claim more passenger lives than drivers.
Further reports revealed that the victims were members of The Church of Christ, Umuahia Branch, who had been attending a church event when the accident occurred.
