At least 12 people have died in a tragic multiple vehicle accident on the Oko Olowo axis of the Ilorin-Jebba Expressway in Kwara State.
The accident, which occurred on Wednesday at around 5:35 pm, involved a trailer with registration number AYE 218 XC and a motor vehicle with registration number TTN 556 XA.
Eyewitnesses reported that one of the vehicles was carrying cows and passengers from Ilorin to Ogbomoso, while the trailer was traveling from Lagos to Kano. Several others sustained injuries in the crash, and they were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Emergency responders, including officers from the “G” Division Police Command, Oloje, arrived promptly to manage the scene. Families of the deceased have reportedly evacuated the bodies of their loved ones.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation. However, reckless driving and excessive speeding have been identified as contributing factors.
A video of the aftermath shared by a rescuer showed the trailer overturned and over ten corpses scattered across the road. A voice in the video urged the government to take urgent action to reduce the frequent accidents on the expressway, which has become a high-risk corridor.
The Kwara State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has not released an official statement yet. However, a senior FRSC officer in the state anonymously confirmed that 15 people died, while three others sustained injuries in the crash.
Speaking over the phone, FRSC Sector Commander Muftau Irekeola confirmed the incident, saying, “That we have 15 casualties may not be far from the truth, but I am still waiting for details from my officers at the Olooru unit. It was a multiple accident involving a trailer and one Canter truck.”
