Ankpa fuel tanker accident claims 8 lives

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kogi has confirmed the death of eight persons on Wednesday in an accident that occurred in Ankpa, a town in Kogi.

A statement by the corps indicated that the accident occurred when a fuel tanker over ran four vehicles, including a passenger bus.

The accident happened on Wednesday afternoon by Alo bridge on Lokoja-Ankpa- Makurdi Road, the corps said.

Eyewitnesses account inficated that the accident occurred when the tanker brake failed.

Two survivors of the accident sustained serious injuries, the statement indicated.

Kogi FRSC Corps Commander Stephen Dawulung who confirmed the incident said that three motorcycles were also involved in the accident.

“Our personnel, who rushed to the scene, were able to rescue two injured persons and rushed them to General Hospital, Ankpa, for immediate medical attention.

“They were able to recover eight charred bodies of the victims from the burnt vehicles and motorcycles involved in the accident.

“As it is now, we are not sure of the actual number of people in the vehicles and the motorcycles involved in this fatal and very unfortunate accident.

“We are still trying to know the actual figure more so that the fire is still raging.

“Aside the tanker, there is a Sharon bus, three cars and three motorcycles, all of which we cannot tell how many people were occupying them before the unfortunate incident.

“As it is, we have rescued two injured persons and recovered eight charred bodies which have been taken to the Ankpa General Hospital.

“Investigations are on in collaboration with officials of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), to ascertain the number of persons that were in the Sharon bus before the incident.

“If it had full load of passengers to mean no fewer than 10 persons in it, and a person in each of the vehicles and motorcycles involved, then we could be talking of 14 persons in all.

“From our findings, the bus was traveling to Makurdi, but no one knows the number of persons inside it and the very park it loaded from to enable us get the manifest for proper assessment.

“The unfortunate thing is that the tanker burst into flame, burning all the vehicles and motorcycles involved beyond recognition. Even number plates are burnt beyond recognition,” he said.

The sector commander urged the public to report to the corps or nearest police station their loved ones who had traveled on Wednesday, Sept, 28, and had not called or could not be reached by phone.