The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu has expressed deep concerns over the fatal crash that occurred Sunday on Ojuelegba Bridge, Lagos State, claiming nine lives.
While confirming that nine people were killed in the Ojuelegba crash, he also worried about another crash that claimed 11 lives at Soka bridge on Lagos-Benin Highway.
While his concerns stem from the reoccurring container crashes on Ojuelegba bridge that has claimed several lives, the Corps Marshal recommended the construction of barricades against articulated vehicles (Tankers, Trucks, Trailers, and other heavy-duty vehicles) on Ojuelegba Bridge as a permanent solution to the reoccurring crashes.
On Soka Bridge (Lagos-Benin Expressway), he used the opportunity to caution commuters against route violation (popularly referred to in the local parlance as ‘One Way’) and driving against prescribed legal speed limits on all roads.
The Corps Public Education Officer, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said preliminary investigation conducted into the fatal crashes indicated that the OJUELEGBA crash involved a Mack Truck with a 40ft container with the registration number KJA 380 KD, who apart from engaging in excessive speed, also indulged in the act of wrongful overtaking and a Suzuki mini bus registered as KTU 921 YD. In contrast, the SOKA avoidable menace involved a Truck driven against traffic and a Marcopolo Bus.
He noted that the container mounted on the Mack Truck at Ojuelegba, according to FRSC operatives, fell off the truck and landed on the Suzuki minibus filled up with passengers, which led to the death of 9 of the passengers.
Kazeem said: “At the time of this statement, 11 victims were burnt beyond recognition at the SOKA Bridge while the Ojuelegba crash involved 13 people, nine males and four females.
“Out of the 13 people, nine were killed, comprising 5 Male adults, one male child, one female child and two female adults.
“Out of the four victims who survived the Ojuelegba crash, two were rescued without injuries while the remaining two sustained various degrees of injuries,” he said.
The Corps Marshal, who frowned at the incident, explained the importance of barricading the bridge against articulated vehicles, citing some of the dangers that come with their continued use of the bridge as he calls for efforts to be made towards expanding the connecting roads under the bridge to accommodate all articulated vehicles.
He revealed that FRSC rescue teams, in collaboration with other Emergency Management Agencies, have cleared obstructions from the crash scenes for ease of movement while the driver of the Mack Truck has been arrested and handed over to the Police for further investigation and possible prosecution; also efforts are in top gear to arrest the driver that caused the SOKA bridge crash.
Biu also reiterated the need to enact laws to bring justice to these crash victims. Where such laws already exist, efforts should be made to activate them so that justice will be served accordingly to both the drivers and the victims.
He admonished the public to always patronize the FRSC toll-free line 122 and the National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM, which are always available for all road users to report emergencies at any time.
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