Five persons were confirmed dead in a ghastly motor accident that occurred Tuesday morning around the Sanyo area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State Sector Command, said the tragic crash, which happened around 8 a.m., involved no fewer than seven vehicles, including articulated trucks, a commercial Micra taxi, and private cars.
According to the Sector Command’s Public Education Officer, Mayowa Odewo, the deceased comprised three females and two males. He added that one other person was critically injured, while five others sustained varying degrees of minor injuries.
Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when a trailer attempted to reverse out of an abandoned filling station along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. In the process, it was rammed from behind by another oncoming trailer.
The impact of the collision triggered a multiple-vehicle crash, as more trucks lost control and ploughed into the scene, crushing smaller vehicles in their path.
One of the commercial Micra taxis was said to have been completely mangled, killing the driver and three passengers on the spot. Another fatality was also recorded among the occupants of a private vehicle involved in the crash.
Emergency responders, including FRSC operatives, the police, and other security agencies, swiftly arrived at the scene to carry out rescue operations and restore order.
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at Adeoyo Hospital morgue, while the injured victims are receiving treatment at the same facility.
The wreckage of the affected vehicles has been cleared to the Sanyo Police Station for further investigation, while traffic flow along the expressway is gradually returning to normal.
Oyo FRSC has reiterated its call for caution and strict adherence to traffic regulations, particularly among heavy-duty vehicle drivers.
