By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

Ten persons have reportedly lost their lives in a fatal auto crash that occurred on Monday along the Olooru-Oko-Olowo highway in Moro Local Government of Kwara State.

Vanguard recalls that the accident occurred barely six days after a similar one claimed 11 lives and injured several others along the same Bode-Saadu highway in the same local government area.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the fatal road traffic crash occurred in a village known as Iyemoja at about 0640 hrs, involving two vehicles, a Volvo truck and a Toyota Hiace bus.

Confirming the incident to journalists in Ilorin yesterday, the State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Stephen Dawulung, said the auto crash occurred as a result of wrongful overtaking.

According to him,” “On receiving the report of the crash, our rescue operatives at Olooru Unit and the Help and Rescue Camp, which was established at Bode Saadu to fortify rescue operations during the ongoing end-of-year special patrol operations, were immediately mobilised to the crash scene for the rescue operation.”

He said, “Preliminary investigations revealed that the crash occurred due to wrongful overtaking by the driver of the Volvo truck, which led to the head-on collision with the bus.

“The bus was coming from Lagos en route Sokoto and was conveying 17 passengers and goods, while the truck was coming from the north en route Lagos and had three passengers.”

The sector commander said a full investigation is still ongoing to further ascertain some details of the crash.

He said a total of 20 people—15 male adults, four female adults, and one male child—were involved.

According to him, “10 male adults sustained varying degrees of injuries, while 10 people sadly lost their lives.”

The injured victims, he added, have since been taken to the General Hospital, Ilorin, while the corpses were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, UITH Mortuary, Ilorin.

He sympathised with the families of the dead and wished the injured victims a quick recovery.

The commander admonished drivers to avoid wrongful overtaking and excessive speeding, as they constitute major causes of fatal crashes.

He, however, said that the command will continue to play its part in ensuring the safety of all road users in the state with the hope that all drivers will remember to drive to stay alive” he further stated.