Nine persons, including three members of a family, have died in an accident on the Ishiagu-Awgu road at Ezietor, Amaeze community in Ishiagu, Ivo council of Ebonyi State, The Nation reports.
The driver and eight other passengers died on the spot while most of the occupants sustained varying degrees of injuries and are currently receiving treatment in a nearby hospital.
An eyewitness, Mr. John Okochi, whose relation was involved in the accident said an articulated vehicle (Anambra JJT143XA) from Ishiagu, collided with a loaded 18-seater bus (Edo SGD541SA) coming from Enugu State.
He blamed the unfortunate incident on the rainfall that happened the previous night which possibly affected the drivers’ visibility.
He said: “We lost nine persons on the spot and the bodies deposited at a mortuary in Aki-na-ukwa in Aninri council of Enugu State.
“Others who sustained injuries were taken to Nyeche hospital in Amaeze. All the victims are indigenes of Ishiagu and the community has been thrown into mourning.”
Reacting to the incident, the Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Ishiagu Unit, Mr. Joseph Abuo, said investigation has been launched to decipher the cause of the tragic crash while FRSC officials were deployed to the scene to control traffic.
He said: “There was an accident yesterday, which claimed many lives. I cannot confirm to you the number of deaths but I can assure you that our men are on the crash scene to control traffic.”
