Four women were killed and nine others injured in a multiple-vehicle accident on the Agulu Lake–Nanka section of the Awka–Ekwulobia Road in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State on Friday evening.
Eyewitnesses said the victims were returning from a burial ceremony when the driver of their vehicle lost control while descending a narrow bridge, causing a collision with three other vehicles.
One witness recounted, “The vehicle’s brakes failed as it came down the hill. It collided with other cars, killing several passengers, mostly women, instantly. Locals rushed to assist before emergency teams arrived.”
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the crash on Saturday. Sector Public Education Officer, Margaret Onabe, stated that the vehicles involved included a Toyota Hiace (HAL676YG), a shuttle (UKP274YA), a trailer, and a Toyota Hilux.
According to the FRSC, the accident occurred at 18:18 hours and was caused by speed and loss of control. A total of 19 people were affected: six adult males, 10 adult females, and three male children. Of these, nine sustained injuries while four adult females died.
The injured were taken to St. Joseph Hospital, Adazi, for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the hospital morgue. An alternative route was opened to maintain traffic flow.
FRSC Sector Commander, Bridget Asekhauno, extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a quick recovery. She urged drivers to exercise caution on the roads, warning that safety is a shared responsibility: “Drive safely to stay alive; safety is everyone’s responsibility.”
The crash followed a spate of deadly road accidents, including a recent incident on the Keffi–Akwanga Expressway in Nasarawa State, where six passengers died after a bus attempted to evade an FRSC checkpoint.
