Cross River State, Nigeria – In a heartbreaking incident, a family of six met with a tragic fate during their journey from Ugep in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State to Abuja. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Cross River State Sector Command, has provided details of the harrowing accident that unfolded on Monday night.
Late Monday night, Cross River State FRSC Sector Commander, SC Istifanus Ibrahim, conveyed the grim details of the incident in an exclusive telephone conversation with Vanguard. According to SC Ibrahim, their preliminary investigation suggests that the accident, which involved a truck and another vehicle, resulted in the untimely demise of the family of six, while two occupants of the other vehicle sustained injuries.
This heart-wrenching incident occurred along the Otokpuru axis in Bekwarra Local Government Area. The victims were promptly rushed to Abuochichie General Hospital within the same local government for medical attention.
“The information we gathered from security agents and a good Samaritan who were involved in the rescue operation, as our post is somewhat distant from the accident scene, suggests that the probable cause of this fatal accident was over-speeding,” SC Ibrahim explained.
The accident claimed the lives of six individuals, including an adult male identified as Edet Eteng (the father), an adult female (the mother), and four children – three females and one male, all from the same family.
In the wake of this tragic incident, SC Ibrahim issued a poignant reminder to road users, especially drivers, to exercise utmost caution and reduce their speed during the rainy season. He emphasized the unpredictability of road conditions during inclement weather, urging drivers to act responsibly to prevent similar tragedies.
Checks conducted by Vanguard have confirmed that the ill-fated family was en route from Ugep in Yakurr Local Government Area to Abuja following the conclusion of the long holiday and the New Yam festival celebration. The collision, which proved catastrophic, occurred when their vehicle collided head-on with an approaching truck that had two occupants, near the Otokpuru axis of the road.