A tragic road accident at Ukpo Junction on the Nteje-Awka Road in Anambra State has claimed the lives of eight people and left six others injured.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the incident, which occurred on Sunday night, and identified the vehicles involved as a Mack tanker without a number plate and a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number EKP375XM.
According to the Anambra Sector Commander, Mrs. Joyce Alexander, the accident was caused by excessive speeding and dangerous overtaking by the bus driver, who was travelling from Abakaliki to Onitsha. The bus collided head-on with the tanker, which was heading in the opposite direction towards Awka.
“Eight persons — four males and four females — lost their lives, while six others, including two males and four females, sustained injuries,” Alexander said.
Emergency responders from the FRSC unit in Nteje evacuated the injured victims to hospitals for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at Jerusalem Mortuary in Nteje after confirmation by medical personnel.
The Sector Commander later visited surviving victims at Regina Caeli Hospital and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital in Awka, offering condolences and support.
In response to the crash, Alexander also held discussions with the Chief of Taskforce, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), to explore ways of improving road safety and preventing future tragedies.
She advised motorists to drive responsibly and avoid overtaking in unsafe conditions, emphasizing the need for caution on single carriageways.
