Enugu-Onitsha crash: FRSC rescues 25 victims alive, orders prosecution of driver

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) rescued 25 Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) victims alive from the avoidable crash that occurred at Ugwu Onyeama on the Enugu-Onitsha motorway, Enugu.

This is even as the FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, called for an investigation and speedy prosecution of the driver responsible for the fatal crash.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) Corps Commander, Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The accidentoccurred at about 1900 hrs.

The corpssaid that the preliminary crash investigation report revealed that the crash was caused by a speed violation.

The FRSC said that it involved seven vehicles, including a black Toyota Matrix bearing the following registration details: ENU742NL and a white Suzuki Hijet minibus, ENU982XY.

This, the corps said, included a custom Toyota Highlander jeep (JRV247HK) and a blue Toyota Corolla with registration number UWN16AP.

Others are a Toyota Rav 4, a Red Mack Tanker, and a Mazda vehicle.

The FRSC emergency rescue teams deployed to carry out rescue operations reported that the crash involved a total of 29 people, comprising 20 male adults and 9 female adults.

“From the number, 10 victims, comprising eight male adults and two females, sustained different degrees of injuries. Unfortunately, four victims were killed as a result of the crash, “the corps said.

“FRSC investigation report indicates that of the 4 fatalities recorded, two victims were killed on the spot while the remaining two died in the hospital.

“The injured victims were rescued at the orthopaedic hospital in Enugu, while the dead bodies have been deposited in the Park Lane hospital mortuary, “the FRSC said.

The corpsmarshal reaffirmed the position of the corps on deepening its ongoing prosecution of drivers who, by their actions, caused road traffic crashes in Nigeria.

He, however, noted that the driver responsible for the Ugwu Onyeama crash would not be spared.

The FRSC boss called on the Judiciary, leadership of transport unions and other relevant stakeholders in the road transportation sector to join hands with the Corps towards restoring sanity on the roads

This, he said, would be through speedy and effective prosecution of traffic violators, especially those who caused crashes on the roads.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Corps Marshal had, during his inaugural address to the media, drawn the attention of road users to issues of imbibing moral and ethical rebirth, which have become a major issue in the country.

NAN also reports that he warned against traffic violations, citing instances where they resulted in avoidable crashes with fire outbreaks, leading to the wanton loss of precious lives and destruction of properties.

According to him, there is no going back on prosecuting erring drivers.