11 killed in Makurdi-Gboko Road accidents

By Peter Duru
MAKURDI—Ten persons were feared dead, Monday, in a ghastly motor accident on Makurdi-Gboko Road, involving the state-owned Benue Links’ 14-seater bus and a trailer loaded with cement. Also, another accident on the same axis, claimed the life of one person.

Vanguard gathered from eyewitnesses that the ill-fated bus was conveying passengers from Gboko to Kano en route Makurdi, but was involved in the mishap barely 30 minutes after take-off.

It was gathered that the driver of the packed passenger bus attempted to overtake the trailer at Liambee village, few kilometers from Wanun-ne, but unfortunately ran into it from the rear and skidded off the road.

The sources claimed that 10 persons died on the spot, while survivors were rushed to NKST Hospital at Wanunne, in Tarke Local Government Area of the state, for medical attention.

When contacted, General Manager of the Transport Company, Mr. John Baka, confirmed that one of the vehicles in the company’s fleet convening passengers from Gboko to Kano had an accident, adding that he had report of three deaths.

Baka said he had sent a team to the scene of the accident to ascertain the true situation.

However, Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ejike Alaribe, told newsmen that four persons died in the accident, adding that the injured were taken to NKST Hospital in Wanunne for treatment.

Alaribe added that a head-on collision involving two cars, in the same axis, claimed the life of one person, yesterday.