The Federal Road Safety Corps, has disclosed that 13 persons died while two were injured in a road accident in Kogi State.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Kogi FRSC Sector Commander, Mr Samuel Oyedeji, stated this on Monday, noting that the incident occurred around 7:30 pm on Sunday.
He explained that the accident involving a commercial Sharon bus and an articulated cement truck, occurred by Obajana Market along Obajana-Lokoja Road in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi.
The sector commander noted that the Sharon bus had parked behind a truck around the market for passengers to buy some things when the cement truck lost its brake and rammed into it from behind.
“And that as soon as the truck rammed into the bus, it immediately went into flame and burnt virtually all the passengers inside it.
“Also burnt were the bus, two trucks and a motorcycle.
“The bus was reportedly heading to Abuja from the southern part of the country.
“Our personnel, who were on rescue operations with Red Cross Nigeria and Police officers, couldn’t save the situation due the fierceness of the fire
“But the charred remains of the affected persons were collected while the two injured persons have been taken to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana for medical attention,” he said.
Oyedeji expressed worry that no hospital in Kogi agreed to take the charred bodies for keeps, which might force the authorities to give them a mass burial if no relation came around.
The sector commander, who described the incident as “very sad and unfortunate”, cautioned motorists against speeding and poor maintenance of their vehicles.
Oyedeji advises motorists to always check their vehicles to ensure everything is in order before embarking on a journey to avoid road crashes.
