The Federal Road Safety Corps says no fewer than nine persons were killed while nine sustained various degrees of injuries on Saturday evening in Ikare Akoko, Ondo State.
The Corps Public Education Officer Assistant Corps Marshal, Bisi Kazeem disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.
NAN reports that the accident occurred directly opposite the Adekunle Ajasin University barely a month after a similar accident, but in which no life was lost.
Kazeem said that the accident which occurred at 17:09hrs on Saturday involved three vehicles namely one Dangote truck, one Suzuki mini bus and one Lexus car, noting that it was fatal.
He said that the articulated truck had lost control and ran into some shops at Akungba Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
According to him, the accident occurred seven km from FRSC Ikare unit.
The truck which was coming from Ikare Akoko area in Akoko North East Local Government Area of the state, lost control and ran into some rows of shops along the road.
“The trailer had a brake failure. The number of people involved were 18 in which eleven were females while seven were males.
“Nine people were killed in which six were females and three were males. Nine people were also injured as well in which five were females and four were males.
“Six dead bodies were deposited at Ikare specialist Hospital morgue while five injured were also taken to the same hospital by the FRSC operatives for immediate treatment.
“The Police deposited three dead bodies at Iwaro General Hospital and the other four injured persons were also taken to the same hospital, ” he said.
Kazeem said that students had blocked the road completely while protesting and prevented tow truck from removing the Dangote truck.
He noted that other sister agencies like the Nigeria Police Force, Army, DSS were on ground to assist the FRSC as at the time of accident.
He said that the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has deployed safety engineers to Akungba to ascertain and recommend solutions to incessant trailer crashes.
He also said the Corps Marshal has ordered deployment of more personnel in addition to an ambulance point recently established.
