From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Enugu/Ninth Mile axis of the Enugu/Onitsha Expressway, a vital transport corridor connecting various regions of Nigeria, has earned an infamous reputation for tragic road accidents.
Over the years, this stretch has been the site of numerous tanker explosions, multi-vehicle collisions and fatal crashes, leaving Enugu residents devastated and raising concerns about critical challenges in road safety in Nigeria.
On January 25, 2025, a fuel tanker explosion rocked the Ugwu Onyeama axis near Ninth Mile Corner on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. The incident, which eyewitnesses attributed to brake malfunction, resulted in the death of no fewer than 18 persons.
Many others were said to have sustained serious injuries. The uncontrolled tanker veered off course and collided with vehicles before erupting in flames.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in a statement released by Corps Public Education Officer Olusegun Ogungbemide, confirmed that the incident was caused by brake failure and led to the death of 18 persons.
He said: “The crash, which occurred as a result of brake failure, involved 17 vehicles in the category of one petroleum-laden tanker, one water tanker, 15 other vehicles, and one tricycle.
“A total of 31 people were involved in the crash. Ten were rescued with different degrees of injuries, while three were rescued unharmed. Unfortunately, the remaining 18 victims were burnt beyond recognition.
“From the preliminary report received by the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, the tanker, which was loaded with premium motor spirit, experienced brake failure, and the driver lost control before crashing into 17 vehicles, leading to a fire outbreak that left vehicles burnt.
“The Corps Marshal called on motorists plying the road to exercise caution and use alternative routes for safety and ease of vehicular movement. He also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a quick recovery.”
Unfortunately, this incident is just one in a series of tragic loss of lives in the Ugwu-Onyeama axis of the Enugu/Onitsha expressway.
On September 2, 2012, the wife of the founder of Old Path Revival Commission, Enugu, Rev. Mrs. Maria Itiowe, and her daughter, Glory, were among four persons who lost their lives in a tragic auto crash along the road.
Other victims were identified as Ebere Iroham, also of the same church, and Dennis Ogwu, driver of a Toyota sports utility vehicle with registration number LV 544 AAA, one of the vehicles involved in the accident.
On June 10, 2018, tragedy struck again as eight persons lost their lives in an accident along the same road. The accident, involving a Carina E model with, registration number CM 960FKJ, conveying a family and a Toyota bus belonging to Onitsha South Mass Transit, with registration number ENU 75 YY, occurred at about 11:00 a.m.
The bus was heading for Onitsha, Anambra State, while the Carina was coming into Enugu. Both vehicles were locked on one lane of the road due to the poor state of that portion of the highway at the time. Seven of the victims were members of one family returning to Enugu from a trip.
On July 11, 2023, another accident claimed six lives, including four members of a single family, and left 15 injured.
A trailer, struggling to navigate the steep Ugwu Onyeama, failed to stop due to brake failure and rammed into oncoming vehicles.
The incident, which occurred around 9am, involved a tanker carrying a substance suspected to be premium motor spirit. The trailer collided head-on with another trailer conveying cement.
The crash affected other vehicles, including a fully loaded bus travelling to Lagos from Ebonyi State and a private car conveying a family.
A seven-vehicle collision occurred on the same road on June 11, 2024, leading to two deaths and 10 injured persons. Investigations revealed that a heavy-duty truck descending from the Ninth Mile axis had brake failure, triggering an accident involving tankers, buses and cars.
The recurring accidents along the Enugu/Ugwu Onyeama/Ninth Mile axis can be attributed to the hilly terrain, particularly at Ugwu Onyeama.
This poses significant challenges for vehicles, especially those with poorly maintained brake systems, as most of these incidents have been traced to mechanical failures in tankers and heavy-duty trucks.
Many crashes also involve overloaded vehicles and drivers engaging in excessive speeding or other risky behaviour.
The Ugwu Onyeama area of the Enugu/Onitsha expressway is characterised by steep inclines and sharp bends, which make it difficult for drivers to maintain control, especially when they are on high speed. This often leads to brake failures, which often result in accidents.
There is also a high volume of traffic on the road as lorries, tankers of all sizes, commercial and private vehicles use the road, leading to congestion.
Despite the heavy traffic, commuters are forced to use one section of the road as the other section has remained deplorable and is rarely used.
Stakeholders are advocating for comprehensive measures to address the safety issues on this crucial road, as the location has become a hotbed for tragic accidents, usually leading to multiple deaths.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, while speaking at the scene of the latest accident, ordered that tankers conveying inflammable products must henceforth have anti-spill locks.
He said: “But we’re also taking quick measures as a government. I have just been speaking with the head of the Federal Road Safety Corps to ensure they enforce the rules that prohibit tanker drivers from the road without an anti-spill lock.
“Tankers conveying premium spirit and inflammable products must have an anti-spill lock to ensure that when these trucks fall down, they do not spill. It is very important.
“Also, for us as a government, we are going to be looking at how we can deploy some traffic rules to ensure that we do not have a recurrence of this.
“We are obviously not going to wait for the federal government to fix the other section of the road. We, as a government, are going to take steps to ensure that whatever needs to be done on that section of the federal road is done immediately so we would never have a recurrence of this.”
A road user, Dr. Chidi Onoh, who spoke to Daily Sun near the spot of the recent incident, encouraged the FRSC to enforce regular inspections to ensure roadworthiness, particularly for articulated commercial vehicles.
He also called for the speedy completion of the second lane of the road, the installation of crash barriers, road signage, and the deployment of officers to monitor compliance and ensure safe driving practices.
A human rights activist, Onyebuchi Igboke, while adding his voice to the debate, called on the government to invest in a a modern railway system, insisting it will reduce the number of big lorries along federal roads.
He said: “The FRSC should also establish well-equipped units at strategic points to provide swift assistance during accidents.
“The government has a pivotal role in safeguarding road users. Part of what the government must do is to invest in infrastructure development. Let’s start talking about railways. Once there is a functional railway system, these big trucks causing this kind of carnage will smoothly be phased out.
“Government should also engage in public awareness campaigns, and enforcement of traffic laws is necessary to reduce road carnage.
“Collaborations with private stakeholders, such as transport unions, can further amplify efforts to ensure safety on the Ugwu-Onyeama axis,” he said.
For commuters who depend on this vital road, the consequences of inaction are dire. The recurring tragedies call for urgent and coordinated efforts to transform the Ugwu Onyeama corridor from a death trap into a safer and more reliable route.