Six people have been confirmed dead while 14 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a fatal motor accident that occurred at the weekend on the Nakalagu axis of the Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway.
The accident, which occurred near Nakalagu Overhead Bridge, involved a commercial Toyota bus and a truck.
Henry Igwe, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ebonyi State, confirmed the incident. He blamed dangerous overtaking and said that 22 people were involved in the accident.
Igwe disclosed that the victims were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
According to him, “Some of the injured victims were taken to the Annunciation and Orthopedic hospitals in Enugu by our officers and the Red Cross, while others were taken to the General Hospital, Ezamgbo in Ebonyi State.”
A resident of Nkalagu, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the Enugu-Nkalagu Expressway as “the most dangerous road to drive on”, and blamed its design and poor construction for the frequent accidents.
He said, “The road is very dangerous because of its one-way nature and central demarcation of hard concrete, which does not allow vehicles to move or dodge careless drivers. Since 2019 when former Governor David Umahi commenced the doubling of the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway with a flyover at Nkalagu Junction, the 1km stretch from Enugu-Nkalagu border to the junction has remained incomplete and Blocked.
“The central demarcation makes the situation worse, leaving vehicles with no option during emergencies. Hardly a month passes without an accident on this road. Residents living across the expressway struggle to reach their homes due to the blockade.”
He lamented the repeated loss of lives and property on the axis and called on the federal and state governments to expedite action to complete the project to prevent further tragedies.
