A tragic auto crash on the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway has claimed the lives of seven people returning from a wedding. According to The Nation, a woman wearing an apron of a popular Pentecostal church was also fatally struck by a commercial bus driver on the Aba-Ezumini Road while on her way to a vigil.
The accident occurred at the Ukpakiri, Obingwa axis of the expressway and involved a Sienna Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and a 911 truck carrying sand. Five other passengers in the SUV sustained injuries and are currently battling for survival in a private hospital. Residents attribute the cause of the accident to speeding by the driver.
The bodies of the deceased, including children, teenagers, and adults, have been deposited at an undisclosed morgue. This incident marks the second fatal accident on the same route in two weeks.
The expressway, which serves as a major route for entry and exit from Abia State, was approved for dualization in October 2021 under the Federal Government’s Road Infrastructure and Refreshment Tax Credit Scheme, funded by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). However, contractors have only completed a portion of the project, leaving a significant stretch from Ohanze to Opobo junction as a single lane.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Maureen Chinaka confirmed the accident.