ENUGU POLICE CONFIRM 10 DEAD IN MULTIPLE ROAD ACCIDENTS

The Enugu State Police Command has confirmed that ten people lost their lives while ten others sustained various degrees of injuries in two separate but tragic road accidents that occurred along the Ozalla–4 Corner axis of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway on Tuesday September 2nd
The first accident, which happened at about 9 a.m., involved four vehicles, including a Visco-owned Howo cement truck, a Toyota Corolla car, a Foton bus, and a Daihatsu mini-bus. According to eyewitnesses, the cement truck lost control and rammed into the smaller vehicles, resulting in a fiery collision. Five passengers in the Toyota Corolla and one occupant of the mini-bus were burnt beyond recognition when the vehicles caught fire, while others narrowly escaped with injuries.
Hours later, at about 3 p.m., a second crash occurred along the same stretch of road when a Sino truck belonging to Global Investment Company ran into a commercial tricycle, killing all four passengers on board. The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.
Enugu State Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, who confirmed the incidents in a statement, described them as avoidable tragedies caused by reckless driving and disregard for traffic regulations. He appealed to road users, especially heavy-duty truck drivers, to exercise caution, particularly during the Ember months when road traffic typically increases and accidents become more frequent.
The Police Commissioner commiserated with the families of the deceased and assured that investigations have been launched to determine the immediate and remote causes of the crashes. He further disclosed that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has been directed to intensify enforcement of safety standards, including checks on the roadworthiness of heavy trucks plying the state’s highways.
The multiple accidents have thrown the affected communities into mourning, with residents calling for stricter regulation of trucks transporting goods within the state. Many also demanded the construction of more road safety checkpoints and speed barriers along the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, which has become notorious for fatal crashes.