According to Cyril Matthew, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Edo State, weariness was the reason for the weekend vehicle accident.
According to Matthew, who was in Benin yesterday, a Toyota Hiace bus and a truck were involved in the Saturday morning collision that occurred at Igueoviobo hamlet, close to an army checkpoint, on the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi Expressway.
He said: “The bus departed Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and headed for Benin City, but collided with an oncoming truck, en route Auchi, around 5 a.m.
“All the occupants of the bus were killed in the auto crash, which might have been caused by fatigue, with the driver likely to have dozed off, leading to the collision, and the bus was engulfed in flames, making it impossible to save the victims.”
“The truck’s driver and his assistant, fondly called “Motor Boy,” escaped unhurt.”
“Officials of FRSC were able to identify the bodies through the vehicle’s manifest. We have since contacted their families.”
The sector commander also admonished drivers to avoid fatigue, especially while on long journeys, urged them to stop and rest after driving for four hours, and when they felt tired, to avoid preventable loss of lives.
