10 feared dead, others injured in Abuja multiple accidents

ABOUT ten people, including a soldier,were said to have been feared dead yesterday, following  multiple road accidents on the Nyanya/Mararaba Road in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abuja.

The incidents, which were said to have happened at the popular Nyanya Tipper Garage, involved a truck belonging to a soft drink company and two others belonging to a construction company.

Witnesses told NationReformer.com that the accidents were as a result of brake failure of a truck heavily loaded with chippings and was descending the Kugbo hill.

An eyewitness, who did not want his name in print, said the truck lost control and hit several other vehicles.

“It was in that process that the second truck, which was equally loaded with chippings, brushed the soft drink truck which was  well loaded with crates of drinks and some other vehicles and fell down,” he added.

Confirming the accidents, the Nyanya Unit Commander,  Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Micheal Agu, said the actual number of the casualties could not be ascertained, as the rescue operation was still ongoing.

He, however, stated that many people who were affected had been rushed to both Nyanya General Hospital and Asokoro District Hospital.

Another eyewitness said: “The number of people who died in the accidents and those who sustained injuries were not immediately available. One soldier, who was controlling traffic after the first accident, was said to have died on the spot after the second truck lost control and hit him.

“Some injured persons were taken to Nyanya General Hospital; some to Asokoro General Hospital. I can’t say now their number. But one soldier was hit and he died instantly.”

As at the time of filing this report when NationReformer.com visited the scene, there was free flow of vehicles, as FRSC officials, soldiers, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Vehicle Inspector Officers (VIOs) have taken over the traffic of the area.