Story from Kenneth AFOR, Lagos

The Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) of Ogun State, has confirmed that 14 passengers including 11 adults and three children were on Thursday night burnt to death in a road accident around the Long Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The TRACE spokesperson, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, who gave an update on Friday morning said that 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.

He explained that the commercial Mazda bus was allegedly involved in wrongful overtaking before it hit a faulty Toyota RAV 4 that was parked on the roadside.

According to Akinbiyi, 17 passengers were in the bus when the accident happened, and 14 persons were burnt to death beyond recognition.

“The burnt commercial bus was involved in wrongful overtaking before it hit a stationary vehicle (Toyota RAV 4), 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 said that two victims who sustained injuries were rescued and taken to Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre, and one other to the General Hospital, Gbagada for treatment.

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