Nine people were killed on Monday in a fatal road crash along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore axis of the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The accident occurred at about 4:55 p.m. around the Bethel area of the expressway and involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus with registration number 14B-299DT, belonging to Delta Line, and a white Sino Truck with registration number AAB162XD, operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd.
The spokesperson for the Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Afolabi Odunsi-Oyewole, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Monday.
According to him, all nine people involved in the crash, comprising three males and six females, died in the incident.
He said the crash occurred while it was raining and the road pavement was wet, adding that preliminary investigation identified speed violation as the probable cause of the accident.
“The crash occurred while it was raining, with the road pavement wet. The road itself was paved. Preliminary investigation identified speed violation (SPV) as the probable cause of the crash,” he said.
Odunsi-Oyewole said the FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene within two minutes of receiving the report, arriving at 4:58 p.m.
He added that the deceased victims were evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital Morgue, Ijebu-Ode, while the vehicles involved were towed to the Ilese Police Station by the Ilese Police Motor Traffic Division.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists, particularly commercial vehicle operators, to exercise maximum caution while driving during rainfall.
Ogunjobi advised motorists to obey speed limits, maintain safe following distances and avoid driving practices that could endanger lives.
He warned that speeding becomes more dangerous on wet roads because reduced tyre grip and poor visibility can make it difficult for motorists to control their vehicles or stop safely.
The FRSC commiserated with the families of the victims and urged motorists and other road users to make safety a priority at all times.
