A tragic road accident has claimed the lives of at least five people, including a seven-month-old baby, following a lone crash along the Enugu–Abakaliki Highway near Nkalagu Junction in Ebonyi State.
The incident, which occurred on Friday morning, involved a fully loaded Toyota Hummer bus conveying commercial traders returning to the South-East from northern Nigeria.
Eyewitness accounts and officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) revealed that the crash happened on a narrow bridge along the highway.
The driver reportedly attempted to avoid a head-on collision after another vehicle engaged in a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre on the single-lane stretch.
In the process, the bus veered off the bridge and plunged into the river
Confirming the incident, sources at Annunciation Specialist Hospital, Emene, Enugu, disclosed that five bodies, including that of the infant, were deposited in the morgue.
The baby’s mother survived and is currently receiving treatment alongside other injured passengers, some of whom are said to be in critical condition.
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First responders indicated that the severity of the crash may have been worsened by the deteriorating condition of the bridge.
Eyewitnesses alleged that protective iron safety barriers had been vandalised by scavengers, leaving the bridge dangerously exposed.
The accident has once again highlighted concerns over the poor state of infrastructure in the region.
For over a year, traffic along the affected section of the dual carriageway has been reduced to a single lane due to a collapsed portion of the road currently undergoing slow reconstruction.
The highway section, originally completed in 2023 during the administration of former Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, now Minister of Works, has since become a source of frustration for motorists due to its failure and delayed repairs.
This latest tragedy adds to a growing list of fatal incidents recorded at the same location. A similar accident late last year reportedly claimed 16 lives, further cementing the route’s reputation as a death trap.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain an official response from the Ebonyi State Sector Command of the FRSC were unsuccessful.
Authorities are being urged to expedite reconstruction work and address safety concerns to prevent further loss of lives on the highway.
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