A tragic accident occurred early Saturday morning on the Benin-Auchi highway, claiming the lives of 12 passengers.
The fatal crash involved a Toyota Hiace bus and a truck near an army checkpoint in the Igueoviobo community.
According to Cyril Mathew, the Edo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the accident happened around 5 a.m.
The bus, which had departed from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and was headed to Benin, collided with an oncoming truck traveling toward Auchi.
Mathew explained that all the passengers in the bus died in the crash, which was likely caused by driver fatigue.
“The driver may have dozed off, leading to the collision,” he said.
The impact of the crash caused the bus to burst into flames, making it impossible to rescue any of the victims.
However, the FRSC was able to identify the deceased using the vehicle’s passenger manifest and has since contacted their families.
Meanwhile, the truck driver and his assistant, commonly referred to as the “Motor Boy,” escaped unhurt.
In response to the tragedy, Mathew urged drivers to take breaks and rest whenever they feel tired, speaking on the dangers of fatigue while on long journeys.