Auto Crash Claims 13 On Benin-Ore Road

No fewer than 13 passengers died in a motor accident on the Benin-Ore road, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) confirmed yesterday.

In a statement issued by Deputy Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Bisi Kazeem, the commission stated that the accident happened at kilometre 53, before Ohosun town, zone 5.12 toll gate unit command in Edo State at 7.45 a.m yesterday.

Kazeem said the accident, which involved two vehicles, was caused by the driver of the Anambra Mass Transit Toyota Hiace bus, with registration number YB 610 EPE (Lagos), who for no reason, drove against traffic on the Benin-Ore lane.

The driver faced an oncoming Iveco truck descending a slope, resulting in head-on collision.

The bus was coming from Lagos carrying traders dealing in electronics and 13 out of the passengers in the bus died, while three people survived including the truck driver.

The victims, according to FRSC, have been taken to Shiloh Hospital, Ugbogui in Edo for treatment while corpses were deposited at the mortuary of the same hospital.

The commission said the obstruction caused as a result of the accident had been promptly cleared.

The Tide recalls that in the last 11 months, countless auto accidents have claimed hundreds of lives on the Benin-Ore Expressway.

For instance, on March 15, 2012, a middle-aged man, simply identified as “Nasco,” died in a multiple auto crashes on Kobape-Siun-Sagamu Expressway.

Thirteen soldiers were also injured in the accident.

Also, two persons were confirmed dead in multiple accidents that occurred on the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway, leaving many others injured.

The accident on the Kobape-Siun-Sagamu Expressway, The Tide learnt, occurred around 1.00 p.m, when a white Toyota Hiace, marked LAGOS CG 415 FKJ veered off its lane as a result of burst tyre and rammed into a truck with registration number OGUN XA 170 ABG and a Prado Jeep marked LAGOS EJ 57 LND.

The truck driver, who was conveying medical materials from Abeokuta to Ibiade in Ogun waterside area of the state, lost his life on the spot, while his body was still trapped in the vehicle.

The injured soldiers were taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Ada, Abeokuta, for medical attention.

The accident on the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway, it was gathered, happened in front of Astok Petroleum, Ijebu-Ode, some few kilometres to the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED).

On Monday, January 23, 2012, 19 persons were burnt to death in an auto crash involving a commercial bus and a trailer along the Sagamu-Benin Expressway.  The drivers of the two vehicles also died in the crash while four others in critical condition, were admitted at the Ore General Hospital.

On December 2, 2011, no fewer than 19 persons were killed in an auto crash, along Benin-Ore road as a diesel tanker collided with a commercial vehicle, killing all the passengers except one.

The bus, belonging to Hope Express Transport Company, was carrying 19 persons. It reportedly took off from Lagos, heading to the South-East when the accident occurred. Only one of the passengers survived and was rushed to a hospital in Benin City.

In a related development, few kilometres away from the scene, there was another ghantly accident involving a trailer and a Mercedes Benz car, which left property worth several thousands of naira destroyed.

Eyewitnesses at the scene of the accident claimed that serious cases of injury were recorded as the Mercedes car was terribly damaged.

On October 24, 2011, 11 persons died in an accident involving a luxury bus and an 18-seater commercial bus at Ore on the Benin-Ore highway.

The recklessness of the luxury bus driver, alleged to be driving against traffic on a portion of the road, reportedly caused the accident, which occurred at about 10.00a.m.

On September 14,2011, talented Nigerian musician, Nwaozo Obiajulu (a.k.a) MC Loph  died in a tragic car accident along the often neglected Benin-Ore Expressway.

Mr Obiajulu was travelling to Enugu State for his traditional wedding ceremony along with his fiancée who reportedly died with him.

MC Loph popularised the song Osondi-Owendi, as a tribute song to the late highlife musician, Osita Osadebe.

The Nigerian music community are reacting to the news. Sound Sultan, a close friend and collaborator of MC Loph currently vacationing in the US said, “It is just so sad, it is not easy to lose someone like that. I worked with him in 2010 and we collaborated on a song with thirteen other artists for the World Cup. We were also very close friends.”

Nelson Chukwudi with Agency Report