Not fewer than 15 persons were on Monday evening reportedly killed in an accident involving a trailer and a commercial bus in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The articulated vehicle was said to be coming from Lokoja-Okene road before ramming into the commercial bus that was full of passengers.
An eyewitness said that the incident occurred after the trailer had a brake failure and crashed into a Toyota bus, killing 15 persons. He also said the corpses of the dead were taken to the mortuary, while the injured were taken to the hospital for medical attention.
Calls and text messages sent to the mobile phone of the Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Paul Okpe, were not responded to at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Etsako East Local Chairman, Hon. Benedicta Attoh, has commiserated with the families of the victims as well as the people of Okpella, on the tragic incident.
A statement from her Chief Press Secretary, Ben Atu, said she sincerely sympathises with the family of the dead and prays for a quick recovery for the injured.
The statement reads: “It is with a deep sense of sorrow that I commiserate with the families of those that lost their lives in a fatal motor accident along the Ewo Market Road in Okpella on Monday, September 25th, 2023.”
“Indeed, their deaths have caused great sorrow for their families. I wish to let the families of the victims know that our thoughts and prayers are with them in this moment of grief. It is not the will of God that we die before our time, but when something like this happens, who can question God”.
“On behalf of Etsako East Local Government Council, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of our departed brothers and sisters.
“Their untimely death has undoubtedly caused great pain to their families and I pray that such tragedy will never occur again in Jesus name, Amen.
“May God grant the families and loved ones the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss and may their souls rest in peace, amen,” she said.
