Dead toll rises to 17 in Enugu lone accident – FRSC

The dead toll in the Enugu-Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road lone accident has risen from 15 to 17 people as of Wednesday, says the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Supreme News recalls that the Police Command in Enugu State confirmed the deaths of 16 passengers who were burned beyond recognition in a fatal accident involving a commercial bus along Enugu-Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road on Tuesday.

The Sector Commander of FRSC in Enugu State, Mr. Adeyemi Sokunbi, confirmed the death of one of the two surviving persons involved in the accident on Wednesday in Enugu.

Sokunbi said that doctors at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Enugu, where the two survivors were rushed to by the FRSC officers, confirmed the death of one of the accident victims.

“The remaining surviving passenger, who had a 64 percent fire burn injury, is stable and responding to treatment.

“FRSC officials are on the ground, and we have kept a close eye on him even as we pray that the Almighty God grant him a quick recovery,” he said.

The sector commander said that the FRSC had taken the deceased to the morgue while trying to make contact with families and friends of those affected in the unfortunate incident.

According to him, from available sketchy information got so far on the commercial bus, it is likely that the bus was heading to the northern part of the country probably to Abuja and finally Kaduna.

Sokunbi said: “I am making a passionate appeal, which FRSC management had been making for years now, for our people to avoid all forms of night travel.

“While as drivers on the wheel, and even passengers being conveyed, we should not overspeed and we all have the responsibility to put the driver in check when he over speeds.”

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the commercial bus, which was driven at high speed, lost control and rammed into the fence of Maduka University, Ekwegbe located on the road and burst into flames.