5 die in auto crash

No fewer than five persons died in an accident involving a truck and an 18-seater commercial bus at Makun area on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday.

Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) in Ogun, confirmed the accident to journalists in Abeokuta.

He said that the deceased included one female and four males who were inside the commercial bus.

He said that the accident involved a white Mazda Bus with Registration number LAGOS LSD 454 XT and Mack truck marked LAGOS AKD 39 XU.

The TRACE spokesman explained that officials of the agency at the scene reported that the commercial bus rammed into the truck from the rear during a rain storm in the area.

He said that the accident consequently led to a gridlock which affected Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, who was travelling to Lagos.

The road traffic official said that the governor ordered his security details to commence rescue operations and those injured were rushed to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.

According to him, corpses of two passengers who died instantly were also taken to the mortuary.

“The governor was on his way to Lagos when his convoy suddenly met the gridlock caused by the accident which occurred at the New Makun City along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“Immediately, the governor was aware of the accident, he ordered that the injured should be quickly conveyed to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.

“The two victims who died instantly at the scene were equally taken to the morgue of the same hospital.

“Three others among the injured later died in the hospital,” he said.