There are conflicting casualty figures about the multiple auto crash that occurred at the hilly Ugwu Onyeama, along Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
While the Enugu State Police Command claimed that four persons died, the Federal Road Safety Corps claimed that only two persons died in the accident that occurred on Tuesday evening.
Also, unconfirmed reports in some viral videos claimed 25 people died.
When the State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Daniel Ndukwe was contacted to ascertain the number of casualties, he said that four persons died and not 25.
In a text message to our correspondent’s inquiry, Ndukwe said: “It’s a case of multiple fatal motor accident that claimed 4 and not 25 lives, please.”
However, the Enugu State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps declared that only two people died, noting that 10 others were severely injured.
Sector Commander, Sokunbi Adeyemi, who spoke with our correspondent on telephone, said the crash occurred between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday on the newly constructed lane.
Although he said that crash investigation report had not been concluded to ascertain the cause of the crash, he said that seven vehicles were involved in the accident.
The FRSC boss said while the injured persons were quickly rushed to hospitals for medical treatment, the identity of the deceased was not immediately known.
Sokunbi said, “The crash occurred yesterday evening around 6:30 – 7pm. The crash involves seven vehicles.
“Although the crash investigation report is not yet out, however preliminary investigation indicate that the tank brake failed and ran to the other once (vehicles).
“So two people died at the scene of the accident. It involves 29 people but two died and only 10 out of the 29 where rushed to the hospital. It means that the other ones, their injuries are not much.
“The once that were rushed to the hospital are eight male adults and two female adults.
“So they were rushed to the Parklane and Orthopedic Hospitals here in Enugu where they are receiving treatments. One is very critical and is currently on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Parklane Hospital. I and the commissioner for Transport where at the hospital today for follow up.”
Sokunbi, however, used the opportunity to call on motorists to put their vehicles in order before using them on the highways for the sake of their lives and that of others.
