No fewer than seven persons have lost their lives, while three others sustained injuries in a fatal road accident along the Okene–Osara–Lokoja Highway in Kogi State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed that the tragic incident occurred when a commercial Siena bus collided with a stationary heavy-duty truck that was undergoing repairs in Osara.
Speaking with journalists in Lokoja on Monday, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Lawal Fagge, disclosed that the commercial bus was travelling from Auchi in Edo State to Abuja with passengers bound for various destinations, including Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Fagge attributed the crash to excessive speeding, driver fatigue and a tyre burst, which caused the driver to lose control before ramming into the parked truck.
According to him, six passengers aboard the Siena bus died instantly, while the motor boy of the stationary truck also lost his life.
The three injured victims were rescued by FRSC personnel and taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, while the remains of the deceased were deposited at a morgue.
“The fatal crash occurred along the Okene–Osara–Lokoja Road. The Siena bus carrying passengers from Auchi to Abuja suffered a tyre burst due to excessive speeding before crashing into a stationary truck undergoing repairs. Six occupants of the bus and the truck’s motor boy died, while three others sustained injuries. Our rescue team responded immediately and evacuated the injured to a nearby hospital for medical attention,” the Sector Commander said.
Fagge urged motorists to obey traffic regulations by avoiding excessive speeding, ensuring their vehicles are in good condition, remaining alert while driving and exercising caution when approaching broken-down or stationary vehicles.
The latest accident has again drawn attention to the increasing number of fatal crashes along the busy Okene–Lokoja highway, a major transport corridor connecting southern and northern Nigeria, with stakeholders calling for stricter compliance with road safety regulations to curb the recurring loss of lives.
