Unspecified number of part-time
undergraduate students of the Niger Delta University was on Tuesday
night feared dead in an accident that occurred along the Amasoma-Yenagoa
Road, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
A bus conveying the students to Yenagoa reportedly collided with a car heading to Amasoma at about 9pm on Tuesday night.
There were, however, different versions of the casualty figure.
While some accounts said 15 persons died on the spot, others said only five died.
The state Commander, Federal Road Safety
Corps, Mr. Vincent Jack, told our correspondent on Wednesday afternoon
that he had dispatched a team of corps to the scene of the accident.
“I do not have the casualty figure yet until my men return from the accident scene, “Jack said.
He, however, confirmed that the accident
resulted from a head-on collision involving a Toyota Hiace bus
conveying part-time undergraduate students and a car.
The bus, with Rivers State Registration
number KNM141XA and the car, XB269KPR, were said to be on high speed
when the accident occurred.
One of the eyewitnesses, Fungbe, a
100-level part-time student of the university said a pregnant woman was
rescued from the scene.
“A pregnant woman was rescued from the
accident unhurt but five persons, including a young lady who sat in
front died instantly while others were taken to nearby hospitals,” he
said.
Explaining how the accident occurred,
the witness said, “I was directly behind the bus that was going down to
the school when I noticed the heavy speed the bus was moving on. I told
our driver to slow down.
“Within seconds, we saw a trailer that
was moving with a snail speed coming towards the vehicle. The other bus
was overtaking the trailer before he noticed that a car coming in the
opposite direction had no head lamp. This resulted in head-on
collision”.
Another eyewitness who refused to
mention her name blamed the accident on deplorable condition of the road
and appealed to the state government to expedite action on the ongoing
construction of the road.
Some of the casualties and injured passengers were said to have been taken to Gloryland Hospital, Yenagoa, for treatment.
The state Police Public Relations
Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe; and the Public Relations Officer to the Niger
Delta University, Mr. Joe Alaqua, said they were not aware that people
died in the accident.
But Jack, who confirmed the accident
promised to make the casualty figure known to our correspondent after
conducting preliminary investigations. He could not however supply the
figure as of the time of filing this report.
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what a pity, God have mercy on your people
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