Black Sunday: 19 People Dead, Eight Injured In Horrific Auto Crash

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A really heartbreaking auto crash has caused the loss of so many lives in Abuja.

The accident that occurred along Yangoli-Gwagwalada road in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Sunday claimed the lives of 19 people while eight others were badly injured.

The Acting Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Dauda Biu, confirmed the incident when he visited the scene.

According to Biu, the incident involved two Toyota Hiace buses with registration numbers MUB- 30 LG and DWR-985 XJ and an articulated vehicle.

He explained that 19 others were charred beyond recognition, stressing that 31 people were involved in the accident comprising 11 males, and one female.

Mr Dauda Biu said, “Out of the 31 victims, eight persons comprising seven males and one female sustained various degrees of injuries, while 19 others were burnt beyond recognition.”

He said the investigation showed that the main causes of the crash were speed limit violation and wrongful overtaking which eventually resulted in loss of control.

He added that the Toyota Hiace bus with registration number MUB- 30 LG, crashed into the Citroen articulated vehicle and burst into flames, killing everyone on board.

The second bus, he explained, hit the first bus from behind and also caught fire while the fire melted the second bus with the Bauchi State number plate.

He further explained that it was coming from Takai, Kano State, while heading to Benin and the Citroen vehicle loaded chicken feeds from Zaria in Kaduna State and was heading to Akwa Ibom.

The Acting Corps Marshal said the nineteen corpses were trapped but extricated by rescue operatives.

He confirmed that police had taken over the investigation and met with relevant authorities for the mass burial of 18 of the mutilated corpses, adding that the bodies could not be preserved for identification as they were burnt beyond recognition.