12 die, 14 injured in Edo auto crash

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps on Wednesday confirmed the death of 12 people in an auto crash that occurred in Egono near Ewu along the Benin–Auchi–Lokoja Road.

The accident reportedly left 14 people with varying degrees of injuries, while the dead were deposited in a mortuary. A truck was said to have skidded off the road and fallen.

The truck, which was said to be conveying passengers and goods heading towards Benin City at high speed, dangerously overtook another vehicle and, in the process, fell and trapped some of the passengers.

Witnesses said 37 passengers were involved in the accident, with 12 dead and 14 sustaining various levels of injuries, while others escaped unhurt.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Edo State Command of the FRSC, Patricia Onwochei, attributed the accident to wrongful overtaking.

She said 12 people died while 14 others sustained injuries in the accident. She added that one was buried while 11 were deposited at St. Lazarus Hospital mortuary in the area.

Onwochei said, “The accident was caused by wrong overtaking. Twelve died, and 14 others sustained injuries. One has been buried, and 11 corpses have been deposited in the mortuary.”

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