Follow Us on Google
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Three people have reportedly lost their lives, and others were injured, when vehicles travelling along the Abakaliki-Enugu expressway collided on the Ezillo bridge section of the highway.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening.
Eyewitnesses told Daily Sun that three vehicles were involved in the disaster but that one of them plunged into the river on the highway following the collision.
“It was a terrible accident,” a witness said. “I wonder why the contractor handling the second bridge has not done anything on the project; even the existing one is a death trap. The Sienna vehicle that plunged into this river on this expressway, overtook us at the LGA headquarters before three of them collided at the bridge. Two buses and one Toyota RAV4 are involved in this accident. May God help his people.”
Another eyewitness, Emmanuel Nkwuda, said the Sienna vehicle that plunged into the river took off from Abakaliki and was fully loaded with passengers and goods when the tragedy occurred.
“This motor had loaded in Abakaliki and proceeded to Enugu. But on reaching Ezillo, it ran inside a river. At the time it happened, nobody inside the motor had come out. They were still helpless inside the motor while people were trying to rescue them.
“Please, if you know anybody that had left Abakaliki for Enugu this evening, call to confirm about their safety. May God deliver them.”
The state’s police public relations officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the incident and promised to give details of the incident later.
The state Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Daniel Nnamdi Asanya, said the incident was a multiple accident with three vehicles involved.
He further revealed that it was a case of wrongful overtaking and that the scene was narrow without a dual carriageway lane.
“It was a problem of wrongful overtaking; one of them, trying to escape a head-on collision, plunged into the river.
“Seven persons were involved. Three persons died, two persons injured, two unscratched.
“The message we keep talking about is, why are people reckless? Why can’t people exercise patience? What is the problem?
“One is wrongful overtaking, second one, speed violation. If you sight a hazard and you are within a moderate speed, you can still control it,” he told Daily Sun.
