An accident involving an 18-seater Toyota Hiace bus along the Abuja-Lokoja highway claimed the lives of 17 persons Tuesday, leaving many severely burnt.
The bus with registration number GME 20 XA ran into a DAF trailer with registration number BAU 632 XA around Yaba junction, along Abuja-Lokoja highway.
Several firefighters struggled to put out the fire, while FRSC rescue team pulled out burnt corpses.
Some officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) rushed the wounded persons to Abaji General Hospital for medical attention.
The 18-seater bus was coming from Abuja-Gwagwalada axis at high speed when it hit the trailer from behind and went up in flames.
Confirming the incident, the FCT sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Samuel Ogar Ochi attributed the accident to speeding by the bus driver and poor visibility.
Ochi said the agency would collaborate with security agencies and environmental officials to see how a mass burial will be carried out since the corpses were burnt beyond recognition.
He, however, cautioned motorists especially night travellers against over speeding especially at the peak of harmattan dry season, which he said always resulted in poor weather and make visibility poor for travellers.
