An early morning road accident has killed at least 19 commuters along the Yangoji-Gwagwalada road at the National Agricultural Seeds Council, Pai junction, within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The victims were burnt to death in an incident that occurred around 4am on Sunday.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC): “A total of 31 people comprising of 11 male occupants, 1 female, and 19 others whose sexuality could not be ascertained as at the time of carrying out the rescue due largely to the intensity of the fire that burnt them”.
According to Bisi Kazeem, Corps Public Education Officer, the accident involved two buses and one trailer.
The statement added: “From investigation report forwarded by the rescue team regarding the crash, the unfortunate mishap involved 2 Toyota Hiace Busses with registration numbers MUB- 30 LG, DWR-985XJ and a Citroen Trailer.
“The ill-fated crash involved a total of 31 people comprising of 11 Male occupants, 1 Female, and 19 others whose sexuality could not be ascertained as at the time of carrying out the rescue due largely to the intensity of the fire that burnt them.
“Out of the 31 victims, 8 people comprising of seven male and one female sustained various degrees of injuries, while 19 others were burnt beyond recognition”.
It added, “the investigation further revealed that the main causes of the crash involving the 3 vehicles are Speed limit violation and wrongful overtaking which eventually resulted in loss of control.
“The report also revealed that the Toyota Hiace Bus with REG NO: MUB- 30 LG, which was on a high speed crashed into a Citroen trailer on motion and immediately went into flames thereby burning the entire occupants of the vehicle to death. In the same vein, the second Bus also crashed into the crashed Bus from behind and also caught up in the fire.
“The one of the buses was said to have transited all the way from Takai, Kano State heading to Benin, Edo State. While the Citroen Trailer loaded with chicken feed from Zaria, Kaduna State was on its way to deliver the commodities in Akwa Ibom State.
“The rescue operations was jointly carried out by the combine teams of Zebra 6 Yangoji and patrol team of the Nigeria Police Force. The injured victims were rescued and taken to Rhema hospital Kwali, while one of the identified male corpse was deposited at Kwali General Hospital Mortuary.”