BREAKING: 14 persons burnt to death on Lagos-Ibadan expressway accident

By James Ogunnaike

No fewer than 14 passengers (11 adults and three children) were on Thursday night burnt to death in an accident around the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The spokesperson, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta on Friday.

Confirming the incident,  Akinbiyi said the accident involved a silver Toyota RAV 4, with registration number, LND 13 GS, a silver Toyota Camry marked, GGE 369 GJ, and a Mazda bus with an unidentified number.

The TRACE spokesman said the accident occurred at 8:20 p.m. on Thursday night.

He added that the commercial Mazda bus was allegedly involved in wrongful overtaking before it hit a parked faulty Toyota Rav 4.

Speaking on the number of casualties, Akinbiyi explained that 17 passengers were in the bus when the accident happened, saying that 14 persons were burnt to death beyond recognition.

“The burnt commercial bus was involved in wrongful overtaking before it hit a stationary vehicle (Toyota Rav4), parked in the middle of the road due to breakdown, and also hit a Camry car.

“In the process, it lost control, somersaulting severally before it burst into flames,” he said.

Akinbiyi explained that two of the victims who sustained injuries were rescued and taken to Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre and another one to the General Hospital, Gbagada for treatment.

He commiserated with the families of the dead victims, warning drivers to desist from speed, wrongful overtaking and attitude that exposed other road users to risk and danger.