18 Killed In Ghastly Accident

19 persons, including an infant and three children, have died in a fatal road accident at Igoneki in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.

The incident occurred at about 5 pm on Thursday.

According to report, tragedy struck when a commercial bus, en route Auchi, had a head-on collision with a truck laden with livestock to Benin.

16 passengers died on the spot as the bus was severely wrecked, while eight other sustained varying degrees of injuries.

It was, however, learnt that three of them later died in a hospital.

A source in the area, said some of the people who died included a family travelling for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Spokesman for the Edo Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. George Otoaviokhai, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Friday.

He explained,

 “There was a vehicle in front of the bus; the bus was trying to overtake. That was not even needed. The accident was avoidable.He (bus driver) miscalculated (because) the truck from on its own lane.
“So when he veered off his own track, he just rammed head-on with the truck. It was a fatal crash. I think the bus was heading for Auchi.”