No fewer than 16 passengers have been confirmed dead during an auto crash that occurred along the Calabar-Itu Highway in Cross River State.
It was gathered that the tragic incident occurred when a 40-feet containerized truck veered off its lane while navigating bad spot on the road, falling on the 16-seater commercial bus en route that was Calabar.
The massive impact caused the container to topple onto the bus on Friday, an impact that led to the death of the 16 passengers before emergency officials arrived at the scene.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the poor state of the road was responsible for the fatal crash, citing numerous potholes, failed sections, and the absence of proper drainage systems.
“The road has become a death trap,” said Emmanuel Okon, a commercial driver who narrowly escaped the incident. “We have complained for years, but nothing has been done. Now innocent people have died for no reason.”
When contacted for comments, the Cross River State spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), IM Eke, said: “I am currently in the state, but an accident did occur. Let me call and get back to you.”
The accident has once again drawn national attention to the deplorable condition of the Calabar-Itu Road—a critical federal highway that connects Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.
