Five persons were confirmed dead on Saturday while three others sustained injuries in an accident on the Abeokuta–Sagamu expressway, Ogun State.

The crash involved a Howo Sino truck and a Mazda car at Day Waterman junction on the expressway.

The spokesperson of the Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident on Saturday.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun State, Mr Ahmed Umar, also confirmed the accident.

Akinbiyi disclosed that the accident occurred at about 3:45 p.m. at Day Waterman turning, on the Abeokuta–Sagamu expressway in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The TRACE spokesman said the accident was caused by reckless driving on the part of the driver of the truck, with registration number T-14214LA.

He said the truck driver made a dangerous U-turn, without observation, saying the Mazda car, marked KRD 975 HJ, rammed into it because of speed.

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Akinbiyi said nine people, comprising four men and five women were involved in the accident, noting that five persons died while three others sustained injuries.

“Unfortunately, the driver of the Howo truck who caused the crash ran away,” he said.

Akinbiyi added that the injured victims were taken to State Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta, and Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta for treatment.

He said the bodies of the deceased were deposited at State Hospital, Ijaye morgue, and Idera Hospital morgue, Sagamu.

The TRACE spokesman, however, commiserated with the families of the deceased just as he appealed to articulated vehicle drivers to observe safety rules and avoid an overbearing attitude while driving.

The Star