Saturday 10 August 2013

Sallah tragedy: 12 killed in auto crashes

Hours to the end of Ramadan (Eid-el-Fitri) at least 10 people died
yesterday while 24 others were injured in multiple accidents along
major roads leading to Gusau, Zamfara State capital. Also two people
were killed in another crash in Ogun State. The first accident
occurred along Bungudu-Maru Road in Zamfara as a result of head-
on collision involving Golf and Toyota cars where seven people died
instantly, others sustained serious injuries.
The second crash occurred along Damba, a few kilometres to the
state capital where nine passengers of a vehicle were injured while
a housewife, Malama Rabi from Biyabiki village in Tsafe Local
Government Area died on the spot.
A source said that 19 passangers who were travelling in a bus along
Maru town were involved in an accident. Two people lost their lives
with several others sustaining serious injuries. All the victims of the
multiple accidents were on their way to meet up with the sallah
celebration in their various towns and villages.
The bodies have been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre,
Gusau, while those injured were at various nearest hospitals.
Spokesman of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Zamfara
State command,  Garba Lawal, confirmed the death of  10 people.
The FRSC spokesman attributed the  accidents to over-speeding and
dangerous overtaking by drivers.
Meanwhile, two people were killed while 12 others, including a
pregnant woman, were injured during a fatal auto crash when two
vehicles collided at Iperin area of Ijebu-Ode/Ibadan Road on
Tuesday.
The vehicles, a Toyota Serena bus marked SMK 760 AP and a
Mercedes Benz lorry with registration number XV 353 MUS. The bus
which took off from Ijebu-Ode was heading towards Ibadan before
its front tyre bust, causing the driver to lose control.
He had a head-on collision with the on-coming Mercedes Benz lorry
The driver and the passenger in front of the bus died immediately
while passers- by rescued 16 other passengers in the two vehicles.
They were taken to both Ijebu-Ode General Hospital and Roona
Private Hospital in the town.
One of the survivors, Rebecca John, said four members of her family
were travelling to Ibadan to attend the convention of the Gospel
Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT) when the accident occurred.
Though weak, she said the victims were members of GOFAMINT in
the Waterside area of the state.
The Chief Medical Director, Ijebu-Ode General Hospital, Dr.
Wellington Ogunsanya, confirmed the accident.

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