By BARBARA KALU, Enugu –
Enugu State Police Command has reported the tragic loss of 10 lives in two separate accidents along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway near the Ozalla/Four-Corner axis, with 10 others sustaining injuries.
The injured are receiving medical care in local hospitals.
According to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the incidents occurred on Wednesday.
In a statement released to the press, Ndukwe expressed condolences to the families of the victims, describing the crashes as “heartbreaking” and preventable.
The first accident, a multi-vehicle collision, took place around 9 a.m.
“A Howo truck, registered to Visco Investment Global and carrying white cement, was traveling from Aba to Abuja when it struck a Toyota Corolla during an overtaking maneuver,” Ndukwe explained.
The crash also involved a Foton bus and a Daihatsu Hijet mini-bus, both traveling in the same direction.
The truck and the Corolla caught fire, resulting in the deaths of five occupants of the car, while one passenger in the mini-bus was also pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Later that day, at approximately 3 p.m., another deadly crash occurred on the same expressway.
“A Sino truck loaded with cement, heading from Garriki Enugu to Nenwe, collided with a tricycle, killing all four of its occupants,” Ndukwe stated. The victims were rushed to a hospital but could not be saved.
Enugu State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mamman Giwa, expressed deep sorrow over the incidents and extended sympathies to the affected families.
He has ordered the State Motor Traffic Department to thoroughly investigate the causes of the crashes.
“These tragic incidents could have been prevented with greater caution on the roads, particularly during the busy Ember Months when traffic volume rises,” Ndukwe quoted Giwa as saying.
The commissioner, further, urged drivers to “avoid recklessness, adhere to traffic regulations, and prioritize safety over speed to prevent such devastating losses.”
The police emphasized that no journey is worth a life and called on motorists to exercise greater care to avoid further tragedies.
