Shehu Mohammed, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, has expressed concern over some drivers’ careless driving practices on Nigerian roads.
Mohammed voiced his dissatisfaction in a statement made in Abuja on Tuesday by FRSC Spokesman Olusegun Ogungbemide.
He expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the fatal crashes that happened on the Lagos/Ibadan motorway on August 13.
He added that the crashes happened at Ajao, which is located on the Ojoo/lwo route, across from the Bovas fuel station, and at Malo.
The corps marshal emphasised that drivers need to instil safe road use and resist the urge to break existing traffic laws, characterising the accidents as both preventable and dreadful.
He also mentioned that a white Mazda bus was involved in the incident in Malo at 03:14 pm, which resulted in 12 deaths and 4 injuries. The crash in Ibadan happened at 09:20 am and involved four vehicles, resulting in 16 deaths and 17 injuries.
“The Ibadan crash which occurred at 09:20 am involved four vehicles; a White Mack Truck (AKM 548 ZY) which had a brake failure, lost control and crashed into three other vehicles: a White Nissan Bus (MUB 20 LG), Red Nissan Micra (BDJ 520 YC) and a Blue Honda CRV (KRD 707 ER).
“The Malo fatal crash occurred at exactly 03:14 pm involving a White Mazda Bus (DDA733XA). The driver had indulged in a wrongful overtaking, which made him lose control of the wheels and eventually crash.
“Reports received at the national headquarters show that the Ibadan crash involved 35 people comprising 14 male adults, 10 female adults, six female children, and five male children. From that number, 17 sustained varying degrees of injuries while 16 victims were killed,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Malo crash had 16 people involved (12 male adults, three female adults as well as one female child).
“Out of this, 12 victims (8 male adults three female adults and one female child) were killed while the remaining four people (All male adults) were rescued with injuries.
“The injured victims of the Ibadan crash were taken to Amudalat Hospital, Ibadan for medical attention while the dead bodies were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Divisional Office in Ibadan.
“The bodies of the 12 victims killed in the crash have been deposited in FOS Morgue in Ipara,” he said.
Nonetheless, Mohammed ordered the articulated vehicle’s fleeing driver to be apprehended right away so they might face charges.
The corps stated that it was stepping up efforts in collaboration with the judiciary to guarantee that the licenses of all drivers involved in fatal crashes will be suspended.
The corps added that these drivers would be subject to the full force of the law.
NAN
