From Judex Okoro, Calabar

Tragedy struck the Calabar metropolis as a Toyota Camry car lost control and rammed into the crowd, killing over 15 people with several others injured during the Bikers’ Carnival yesterday, in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

The Bikers’ Carnival is one of the innovations brought into the Calabar Carnival by Governor Ben Ayade, to add colour and panache to the annual festival introduced by former governor Donald Duke in 2004.

A witness said shortly after the bikers’ parade was flagged off about 5pm, one of the Camry cars on the parade, sped off from Eleven-Eleven Round-About, along Calabar Road, heading to Mary Slessor, one of the adjudication points, lost control and rammed into the crowd around the Central Mosque at Bogobiri and killed about five people on the spot.

The witness further said after about 20 minutes after the incident, another five gave up the ghost, others died on the way to the hospital while a few died at various hospitals they were rushed to. He said those affected were some members of the Hausa community, passers-by and shop owners who came for one business or the other around the Bogobiri axis.

The witness said the incident created pandemonium as people ran helter-skelter for safety, following the reactions of the Hausa community whose people were mostly affected.

As of the time of filing this report, the dead bodies had been evacuated, while the injured people numbering over 10 were rushed to various hospitals for medical attention. Checks by Daily Sun showed that security personnel had cordoned off the Mary Slessor -Bigobiri axis to forestall breakdown of law and order, just as the Carnival ended abruptly.

The state Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, was already seated with other dignitaries when the incident occurred.

Confirming the incident, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Cross River, Maikano Hassan, said it occurred when a driver of a Toyota Camry car lost control and rammed into the crowd of onlookers. Hassan, who could not give the figure of casualty, said the victims of the incident have been all evacuated to hospital.

He said: “I am on my way to the hospital to ascertain the casualty figure and those injured. But I can confirm that the report is true and will get back to you as soon as I’m able to establish the number of casualties.”

Meanwhile, Governor Ayade has expressed sadness over the ugly incident.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Barrister Christian Ita, said the governor was devastated by the incident and has directed security agencies to apprehend the motorist who is on the run.

While sympathising with the victims of the accident and their families, the governor ordered an immediate investigation to unravel how the motorist was able to get through security barricades to have access to the routes which were closed to the public.

Ita said the governor directed the immediate discontinuation of the Bikers’ parade in honour of the victims of the accident.

Governor Ayade, while promising to ensure the culprit is arrested and brought to book, however, sued for calm.