Eleven passengers on Thursday died, while eight others injured in a crash that occured around the Ovia Bridge on the Edo State end of the Benin-Lagos Expressway.
The crash occurred around 11:00am involving a Toyota Hiace 18-seater bus and a Dangote truck.
It was gathered that the driver of the truck was heading towards Benin, Edo State when he rammed into the bus that had slowed down at the failed portion of the road.
According to an An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity, some of the passengers died on the spot, while others who sustained injuries were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital for treatment.
The eyewitness said, “The Toyota Hiace bus going to the East en route Edo State slowed down at the bad portion of the Ovia River Bridge but the Dangote truck that was on top speed rammed into it, killing the passengers and injuring others.”
Confirming the crash, the State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Paul Okpe, said three vehicles were involved in the crash.
He added that both the dead and the injured were moved to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital the corps’ ambulances
Okpe noted, “We had a crash on the bridge at Ovia River this morning. A truck ran into a Toyota Hummer bus and 11 persons lost their lives and eight persons were injured. Both the dead and the injured were moved to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital by our ambulances. Three vehicles were involved.
“The truck ran into the Hummer but before narrowly missing a Kia vehicle. The three vehicles are in the police station not far from our office at the toll gate.
“For the possible cause, we are leaving that to our accident investigations department to establish, but it was the truck that ran into the vehicles and the casualties were in the bus.”