By Chimezie Godfrey
The Acting Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu has decried the incessant violation of legal speed limits and noticeable traces of dangerous driving behaviours exhibited by drivers during the Christmas celebrations, and warned perpetrators of such bad road use culture to desist henceforth as the Corps will not spare them when apprehended.
He stated this following the wanton violation of speed limit and indulgence in dangerous driving, which led to the avoidable crash that occured at 0630HRS, along Ibadan-Lagos route, a few minutes drive before Gurumaraji area, Oyo State; the Mokwa fatal crash which occured at 3:30am and the Otukpo lone crash which took place at exactly 1135am on 27 December, 2022.
According to preliminary investigation conducted into the fatal crashes, the Ibadan avoidable menace is a lone crash that involved a Toyota Bus bearing the following registration details TRK135ZY. While the Mokwa crash involved a trailer transiting from Lagos which had a head on collision with a Bus and the Otukpo lone crash involving a bus registered as NAK77XA which occured as a result of a fallen tree that blocked the highway.
18 people ( all Male Adults) where involved in the Ibadan crash, out of which 10 were killed, 6 injured and the rest rescued without any injuries.
In the same vein, as at the time of filing this report, 10 victims were killed in the Mokwa crash, 9 of which were confirmed death on the spot and the remaining 1 victim died in the hospital.
While zero fatality was recorded in the Otukpo lone crash, the injured victims have been taken to St. Daniels Hospital Otukpo for urgent treatment.
Meanwhile, the 6 victims who were rescued with different degrees of injuries during the rescue operations of the Ibadan crash were giving adequate first aid by the Corps’ medical rescue team before moving them to Ibadan Central Hospital for proper medical attention. While the remains of the killed victims were deposited in Adeoyo General Hospital Morgue in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The main cause of the crash according to the report are, Dangerous Driving, road obstruction and excessive speed (Speed Limit Violation) which led to loss of control
The Acting Corps Marshal who frowned at the incident assured the motoring public particularly law abiding ones that the Corps has already enhanced it’s visibility and intensified patrol operations that will engender sanity on the highways.
Expectedly, he has also directed the immediate deployment of a special squad to the affected part of the Otukpo-Makurdi highway to ensure speedy removal of the fallen tree as well as a traffic control team to engender free flow of traffic.
The deployed squad has already commenced the cutting of the tree for immediate evacuation, as the motoring public is admonished to exercise patience, maintain the lowest possible speed while plying the route.
While advising motorists to allow the spirit of love that comes with the season reflect in the manner they drive, the Acting Corps Marshal reiterated his position of subjecting those who take advantage of the festive season to indulge in dangerous driving behaviours to the long arm of the law.
He admonished the public to always patronize the FRSC toll free line 122 and the National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM which are always available for all road users to report emergencies at any given time.
