11 persons died in shagamu road auto crash

Eleven persons died on
Wednesday in an auto crash at
Okada junction, Edo State section
of the Benin-Sagamu
Expressway.
The accident, which occurred
around 4pm, involved a
commercial bus belonging to
Peace Mass Transit Company and
a truck conveying some goods to
Lagos.
The Federal Road Safety
Commission, according to an
eyewitness, arrived at the scene
immediately to move the dead to
the University of Benin Teaching
Hospital mortuary.
A couple said to be heading for
one of the states in the South-
East for their wedding
arrangements, and a woman
said to be going for a burial,
were among those killed in the
accident.
According to one of the four
survivors of the accident,
Anthony Ndubuisi, a South-
Africa-based footballer, the
Onitsha-bound bus took off from
Ojulegba in Lagos with 17
passengers.
Ndubuisi, who is receiving
treatment at the emergency unit
of the UBTH, blamed the crash on
the recklessness of the bus
driver.
“The accident could have been
avoided,” the player said.
He claimed the driver, who
reportedly escaped unhurt, was
at a top speed while overtaking
another vehicle when the crash
occurred.
Ndubuisi added, “I had wanted
to board another transport
company but I was told that
Peace Mass was cheaper. I was
going to Asaba (Delta State) to
finalise arrangements for a trip
to Europe where I hope to
pursue my career. But just
imagine where I have ended up.”
The National Coordinator of Save
Accident Victims of Nigeria, Mr.
Eddy Ehikhamenor, who was at
the emergency unit of the
hospital, told our correspondent
that 10 of the victims were
brought in dead.