By Damilare Adeleye

A fatal crash has claimed the lives of 19 individuals, including 5 children and 14 adults on a highway in Kwara State.

It was learnt that the accident was as a result of a collision between two vehicles caused by excessive speed and improper overtaking.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the accident occurred at Kanbi village on the Olooru-New Jebba Road in Kwara State.

A statement signed by the corps spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Friday, said the fatal crash occurred on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

According to the Corps Marshal, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the crash which occurred as a result of excessive speed and wrongful overtaking involved 2 vehicles; a blue Iveco trailer with no trace of registration and a white Toyota Hiace bus with registration number LSD363YE.

“A total of 25 people were involved, comprising of 13 male adults, 5 female adults, 2 female children and 5 male children. From this number, 5 people were injured (3 male adults and 2 female adults), and 19 victims killed (11 male adults, 3 female adults, 3 male children, and 2 female children.”

He explained that the injured victims had been taken to Orisun Ayo Hospital. According to him, a corpse was deposited at the morgue of the same hospital while the remaining 18 bodies were claimed by the families of the deceased persons.

He said, “You would recall that in recent time, apart from setting up an Inter-agency Joint Task Force to tackle the excesses of trailer drivers, the Corps equally enhanced its enlightenment campaigns as well as ensured robust engagement of stakeholders, especially the various transport unions all in a bit to curb these ugly occurrences.

“It is therefore unfortunate that irrespective of all the efforts in place, some drivers have decided not to adhere to safety standards as such compromising the safety of innocent road users.

“In line with his 2024 agenda for a drastic reduction in road carnage’s, the Corps Marshal has directed Commanding Officers to intensify special patrol operations against these identified violations.”