on a catastrophic collision on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Express, precisely at Ituku Road, 15 passengers on a Toyota bus were burned beyond recognition.
The tragic 18-seater bus, which was coming from Aba, collided head-on with a truck at Ituku in the Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State at around 8:30 pm on Saturday, April 8, 2023, causing both vehicles to burst into flames.
Only the driver of the tipper survived and is presently being treated at the hospital, according to DSP Daniel Ndukwe, spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, who confirmed the collision in a statement on Sunday.
Enugu State Police Command regrets to inform the public that on April 8, 2023, at approximately 8.30 p.m., An 18-seater Commuter to Enugu South Mass Transit bus with registration number NKE 622 XA and a Mercedes Benz Tipper with registration number AAA 285 XR were involved in a fatal motor vehicle collision at Ituku Awgu LGA along the Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway, according to the statement.
"Preliminary investigation reveals that the tipper, which was traveling against traffic from Enugu City and was loaded with bags of cement, collided head-on with the bus, which was traveling from Aba, Abia State. As a result, both vehicles caught fire, and everyone inside was burned beyond recognition, with the exception of the tipper's driver, who was discovered alive and is currently being treated in a hospital.
"In the meantime, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, FDC, has prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and comforted their families, friends, and loved ones while lamenting the unfortunate incident during this Easter season, when Christians in the State and around the world are commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The CP has consequently instructed the State Traffic Officer to conduct a thorough motor traffic investigation into the occurrence, including removing the remains and learning the precise identities of the deceased victims and their families, as well as producing an actionable report.
He warns drivers against breaking traffic laws while stressing that the best way to stay safe on the road is to drive cautiously, patiently, and in compliance with all traffic laws.
The victims have been given a mass burial, according to Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem, the FRSC spokesman, who also confirmed the disaster.
"Mass graves have been dug for the victims. All barriers have been removed. The fire in the bus has already been put out by Enugu State Fire Service, he claimed.
Fatigue, which must have caused one of the drivers to fall asleep at the wheel, is one of many reasons that contributed to the fatal collision. According to Kazeem, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Mr. Dauda Biu, advises drivers not to drive at night to lower the number of fatalities from traffic accidents.
Biu stated that the majority of fleet operators and other vehicle owners, including private car owners addicted to nighttime driving, did so for their own financial advantage, the speaker continued.
The head of the FRSC saw that most nighttime drivers abused the practice of packing their cars full of people and cargo.
According to Kazeem and Biu, "Travelers should schedule their journeys for the daytime because it is harder to seek help from other motorists at night when crashes occur distant from FRSC rescue posts.
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