From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin
About 14 passengers were on Wednesday burnt beyond recognition while 14 others sustained series of injuries along Ogbomoso-Jebba Road Ilorin when a fully loaded tanker and a truck collided.
It was gathered that two trucks, fully loaded with cattle and passengers collided while one veered off the road.
Our correspondent learnt that the trucks were coming from one of the states in the North while the tanker was believed to be heading towards the opposite direction, before the accident occurred at dawn.
According to the Kwara state Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), Mary Wakawa who confirmed the development yesterday night in Ilorin, said “one of the heavy duty vehicles veered off its lane and collided with the other. This was around 5am.
“Both vehicles burst into flames; 13 died on the spot, while one died in the hospital. We rushed 14 injured passengers with severe burns to University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, (UITH).
“Already, with the support of the Kwara State Transport Management Agency,(KWTMA), we had evacuated the wreck”, she added.
Wakawa, while cautioning road users in Nigeria against excessive speed, night driving and driving exhaustion, said the 13 charred bodies of the victims have been given mass burial.
She attributed the accident to exhaustion, adding: “our drivers should stop long driving overnight; they need rest, to avoid human errors on the roads.”
The FRSC boss in the state disclosed that Rescue Officers have been trained by the FRSC and attached to transport organisations with fleet of vehicles in the country, in order to create more rescuing methods during road traffic accidents on the nation’s road.
Wakama said the body has penetrated notable and registered driving schools in the state with proper driving teaching aids, in order to enhance the churning out of quality vehicle drivers for Nigeria.
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