By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
The Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC), Kogi State Sector Command has confirmed that 13 persons died while two others were injured in a Sunday evening auto crash at Obajana in Kogi.
Kogi Sector Commander of the FRSC, Samuel Oyedeji, told newsmen on Monday in Lokoja that the sad incident occurred at about 7: 30 pm on Sunday.
He said that the accident involving a commercial Volkswagen Sharan mini Bus and an articulated Cement Truck, occurred by Obajana Market on Obajana-Lokoja highway in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi.
Oyedeji said that the Sharan bus had packed behind a truck around the market for the passengers to do light shopping when the cement carrying truck failed break, lost control and rammed into it from behind.
The Sector Commander said that as soon as the truck rammed into the bus, it caught fire, exploded and immediately went into flames as it burnt virtually all the passengers.
He confirmed that burnt along with the bus were two trucks including the the offending truck, that behind which the bus parked and a motorcycle.
Oyedeji said the Volkswagen Sharan mini bus was heading towards Abuja from the southern part of the country.
“Our personnel, who were on rescue operations with Red Cross Nigeria and Police officers, couldn’t save the situation due the fierceness of the fire.
“But the charred remains of the affected persons were collected while the two injured persons have been taken to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana for medical attention.
He expressed worry that no hospital in Kogi agreed to take the charred bodies for keep, adding that the authorities might be force to give them a mass burial if no relation came around to claim the corpses.
The sector commander, who described the incident as “very sad and unfortunate”, cautioned motorists against speeding and poor maintenance of their vehicles.
According to him, motorists should always check their vehicles to ensure everything is in order before embarking on a journey to avoid road crash. (Ends)