16 dead, three injured in Ore-Benin road accident

The Ondo command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says 16 persons died in an accident on the Ore-Benin expressway.

The agency said three persons were also injured in the accident that occurred on Monday night.

Samuel Ibitoye, spokesperson of the command, said in a statement that the accident involved a Toyota Hiace bus and a truck around the Ajue community.

He said the crash was caused by overtaking and excessive speeding which led to a head-on collision.

“The accident happened at 8pm on Monday night and the rescue operation ended at 11pm,” Ibitoye said.

“The accident involved a Toyota Hiace and a truck, with two other passengers who escaped the tragedy.

“Preliminary investigation revealed the cause of the incident to over speeding and wrongful overtaking which unfortunately led to a head-on collision.

“Investigations on what led to the accident have not been concluded.”

Ibitoye advised drivers to prioritise caution and defensive driving techniques, adding that excessive speed is a major contributor to road accidents in Nigeria.

In March, the FRSC directed its commanding officers to intensify nationwide enforcement against overloading of vehicles and night trips, as part of efforts to enhance road safety and reduce accidents.