by ‘Jola Sotubo

A fatal auto crash has claimed the lives of not less than 17 people who were travelling along the Ilorin-Jebba expressway yesterday.

According to reports, the crash occurred at the Peke village, Kilometre 16 axis of the road and also left 10 other people injured.

The accident reportedly resulted after a truck with registration number XD 762 KNT collided with two commercial buses with registration numbers TAK 113 XA and XC 185 NSK.

The Nation reports:

It was gathered that the accident occurred around 3.30am at the spot where the dualisation of the expressway terminates. According to reports, the truck was said to have rammed into the commercial buses.

Eyewitness account said that the Hummer buses, each with 19 passengers, took off from Lagos and were heading for Kastina State. The Sector Commander of the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) in Kwara state, Mrs. Mary Wakama, who confirmed the incident, said the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).

She added that two victims with severe injuries had been taken to Sobi Specialist Hospital, while others with minor injuries are receiving treatment at private hospitals. Mrs. Wakawa, who blamed the accident on attitude of most drivers in the country, discouraged night travelling, saying it portends danger.

She also said that the auto crash may have been caused by fatigue on the part of the truck driver, adding that visibility is always poor in the night, stressing that assistance would also be difficult to get at night.