Auto crash claims 5 in Abuja

At least five persons were feared dead yesterday afternoon when the driver of an 18-seat commercial bus lost control of his bus and crashed along Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway, near Nicon junction, Abuja.

A witness, Emmanuel Aideyawu, said the accident occurred at about 12pm, when the bus with registration number XH 637 RSH lost control while on speed.

He said the bus somersaulted several times with about 20 passengers, including the bus driver.

“I saw about four dead bodies lying on the road, while others that were injured also littered the road, crying for help,” the witness said.

Another witness said one man miraculously survived the accident without injuries, while another died on the way to the hospital, which raised the death figure to five.

He said policemen evacuated the victims with their vans to National Hospital, while Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) officials arrived the scene later to remove the victims’ belongings.

When our reporter visited the accident scene, FRSC officials were controlling traffic and checking for valuables.

Policemen and FRSC officials at the accident scene declined to comment on the issue.