FRSC is concerned, confirms nine dead in Ojuelegba Bridge crash

THE Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu has expressed deep concern over the deadly crash that occurred Sunday at the Ojuelegba Bridge, Lagos State, which claimed nine lives.

While confirming that nine people died in the Ojuelegba crash, he was also concerned about another crash that claimed 11 lives at the Soka Bridge on Lagos-Benin Highway.

While his concerns stem from the recurring container crashes on the Ojuelegba Bridge that have claimed several lives, the Corps Marshal recommended the construction of barricades against articulated vehicles (tank trucks, trucks, trailers and other heavy vehicles) on the Ojuelegba Bridge as a permanent solution . for the recurring crashes.

On the Soka Bridge (Lagos-Benin Expressway), he took the opportunity to warn commuters about violating the route (popularly referred to colloquially as “One Way”) and driving against prescribed legal speed limits on all roads .

The Corps Public Education Officer, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, said in a statement in Abuja on Sunday that preliminary investigations into the deadly crashes indicated that the OJULEGBA crash involved a Mack Truck carrying a 40ft container with registration number KJA 380 KD, which was separately of excessive speed, also admitted to illegal overtaking and a Suzuki minibus registered as KTU 921 YD. The avoidable threat from the SOKA, on the other hand, involved a truck going against traffic and a Macopolo bus.

He noted that the container mounted on the Mack Truck in Ojuelegba, according to FRSC agents, fell off the truck and landed on the Suzuki minibus which was packed with passengers, leading to the deaths of 9 of the passengers.

Kazeem said: “At the time of this statement, 11 victims were burned beyond recognition at the SOKA bridge, while the Ojuelegba crash involved 13 people, nine men and four women.

“Out of 13 people, nine were killed, including 5 male adults, one male child, one female child and two female adults.

“Of the four victims who survived the Ojuelegba crash, two were rescued without injuries, while the remaining two suffered various injuries,” he said.

The corps marshal, who frowned upon the incident, explained the importance of barricading the bridge against articulated vehicles, citing some of the dangers associated with the continued use of the bridge, while calling for efforts to connecting roads under the bridge. bridge for all articulated vehicles.

He revealed that FRSC rescue teams, in conjunction with other Emergency Management Agencies, have removed obstacles from the crash scenes to facilitate movement, while the driver of the Mack Truck has been arrested and handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution; work is also in full gear to arrest the driver who caused the crash of the SOKA bridge.

Biu also reiterated the need to enact laws to bring justice to the victims of these accidents. Where such laws already exist, efforts should be made to enact them so that both the drivers and the victims receive justice accordingly.

He urged the public to always patronize the free FRSC line 122 and the National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM, which are always available for all road users to report emergencies at any time.