By Akpos Oje
A tragic road accident has claimed the lives of three female passengers and left three others seriously injured along the Warri/Effurun Expressway near the Army Barracks in Uvwie Local Government Area.
The victims were passengers in a commercial “kpelegbe” bus heading toward Warri when the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning.
Eyewitnesses reported that a speeding private vehicle, ran over two speed breakers at the accident spot and collided with the commercial bus. The impact caused the bus to crash into a heavy-duty trailer, resulting in the immediate death of three passengers, all of whom were reportedly hawkers of agbo (a traditional liquid herbal medicine).
Three other occupants of the bus sustained varying degrees of injuries. Two of the injured passengers were said to be responding well to treatment, while one remained in critical condition at the Central Hospital in Warri. The bus driver, identified simply as Elisha, also sustained serious injuries and was undergoing treatment at the same hospital.
The driver of the private car, though his vehicle was reportedly damaged beyond repair, escaped the crash unscathed. He was, however, taken into custody by the police for questioning. Authorities are expected to carry out a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Delta State Police Command spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident yesterday.
He said the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the Warri Central Hospital mortuary, while the injured continued to receive medical attention at the same facility.
