Nine Passengers Die in Ekiti Auto Crash

Tragedy hit Awo Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area in Ekiti State yesterday as nine persons died in an accident crash that occurred in the town.

Most frightening was the fact that the news that first broke in the town was that all the 18 occupants of the 18-passenger bus had perished in the accident.

The Toyota Hiace bus, conveying the passengers from Lagos to Abuja, had collided with a trailer on Awo - Igede road.

The bodies of the passengers were squeezed in the crushed bus, with witnesses claiming that there were no survivors in the accident.

A resident of Awo community told journalists that the bus rammed into the truck which they said was travelling ahead and conveying planks.

After hitting the truck, the bus lost control and also forced the truck to equally lose control. Nine people died at the scene as they were mangled in the crushed bus, while one of the passengers was said to have been rushed to the hospital.

According the community sources, the Toyota hiace bus, with registration number EKY 978 XJ was travelling from Lagos, while the origin of the trailer attached to a DAF truck with registration number XB 404 FKA was not immediately known.

While the community people said they believed the bus was heading to Abuja, the destination of the truck was not immediately known.

The accident had occurred in front of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Igede - Awo road.

Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Mohammed Olowo, while giving details of the accident, said the possible cause of the accident was “overspeeding and loss of control.”

The FRSC said the accident had occurred at about 6:15 a.m., and that 10 people were involved.