5 feared dead, others injured in Kogi road crash

No fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead, while seven others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a ghastly road accident along the Ajaokuta–Lokoja Road in Kogi State.

Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred at about 11:35 a.m. on Tuesday when a Toyota Avensis, reportedly travelling at high speed, lost control while attempting to overtake another vehicle and rammed into an oncoming truck.

An witness, Abimaje Yahaya, explained that the crash happened at Gidan Bassa, a suburb of Lokoja.

“The driver of the Toyota Avensis, while overtaking at top speed, suddenly noticed an oncoming vehicle from the opposite direction. In the process of trying to regain control, he rammed into a truck moving in the same direction, leaving many dead and several others injured,” Yahaya said.

The Toyota Avensis, with registration number Kogi BJK 172 LG, was said to be travelling from Abejukolo, the headquarters of Omala Local Government Area, to Abuja when it collided with the truck, which bore registration number Jigawa BBR 719 SA.

Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Tenimu Yusuf Etuku, attributed the crash to excessive speeding by the driver of the Toyota Avensis.

He said the vehicle was conveying 12 passengers, including the driver, at the time of the accident.

“Five persons were confirmed dead at the scene, while seven others sustained life-threatening injuries. Two children were among those who lost their lives,” Etuku said.

According to him, the dead and injured victims were taken to Ekpe Hospital, Ganaja–Lokoja; ASCO Hospital, Ajaokuta; and the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, for medical attention.

Etuku added that items recovered at the scene including four mobile phones, the two vehicles involved, and passengers’ luggage had been handed over to the police.

The FRSC boss advised motorists to avoid wrongful overtaking and speeding in order to reduce avoidable deaths on the nation’s highways.