Two persons have been confirmed dead and three others injured in a ghastly motor accident that occurred near the permanent site of Ebonyi State University, Ishieke, along the Abakaliki–Enugu Expressway of Ebonyi State.
Confirming the tragic incident to newsmen on Saturday, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ebonyi State, Anthony Ogbodo, said that the tragic crash involved a commercial bus carrying 10 passengers and a Mercedes-Benz 911 truck transporting sachet water from Enugu to Abakaliki.
It was gathered that the accident happened as a result of the partial blockage of one lane of the federal highway by security personnel attached to the Ishieke Police Station, a measure residents of the area reportedly said has contributed to a series of recent accidents recorded in the area.
Ogbodo also attributed the crash to reckless driving compounded by the road obstruction.
“The passenger bus was coming from Otukpo, Benue State, and the truck from Enugu to Abakaliki,” Ogbodo explained.
“At night, the police at that junction blocked one of the lanes. Closing one lane of the road contributed to the accident.”
He further disclosed that 10 passengers were on board the bus, eight males and two females.
“Three were injured and two died, a male and a female,” he said.
Ogbodo said the injured victims are receiving medical treatment, while the corpses have been deposited at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital mortuary in Abakaliki.
He also lamented that the continued practice of blocking one side of the expressway has created unnecessary hazards for road users.
“Dangerous driving combined with the obstruction is a recipe for disaster,” he warned.