It was a Black Saturday as a truck rambled and crushed to death two University dons and five persons in Benue State, Nigeria.
In the auto crash, Moses Tarnongo, a lecturer in University of Mkar, his wife and three children were wasted.
The accident that occurred at Gbatse community along Ugbema-Adikpo Road in Ushongo Local Government Area of the state Saturday evening, October 10, also claimed another University of Mkar lecturer, Joshua Leva and another person.
The University’s Registrar, Rev. Emmanuel Astor, who confirmed the incident on Sunday in Makurdi, said Moses Tarnong was killed alongside his wife and three children. The two lecturers were from the department of Mass Communications.
The registrar said the victims were on transit to Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area to see a clergyman when the incident happened.
According to eye-witness account, a trailer truck rammed into a stationary Toyota car with registration number MKD-300-NH, crushing the seven occupants to death.
The witness claimed that the driver of the truck purchased a fairly used car and kept it aboard and was about dodging a police check-point when he rammed into the Toyota car. Reports said it took hours to bring out the bodies from the crushed vehicle.
Confirming the incident, DRC Joyce Akura, FRSC Public Enlightenment Officer in the state, said the incident occurred along Ugbemea-Adikpo road late Saturday.
Akura said that the accident involved two vehicles – a truck with registration number WKR 496 XA and a Toyota car with registration number MKD 300 NH, adding that 12 passengers were involved in the crash.
She explained that seven passengers were confirmed dead, one was injured and was receiving treatment, while the remaining four escaped unhurt.
The FRSC official said the cause of the accident had yet to be ascertained, adding that the corps would conduct a “crash investigation’’ to determine the cause of the crash.
“Twelve passengers were involved in the crash; nine were males, three females. The accident was between two vehicles, a MAN-diesel truck with registration number WKR 496 XA and a Toyota car with registration number MKD 300 NH,’’ she said.
She said the dead bodies had already been deposited at a morgue in Ushongo
Meanwhile, Benue Governor Samuel Ortom has sent heartfelt condolences to families of the victims, the management, members of staff and students of University of Mkar.
Ortom described the incident as devastating and urged relevant agencies to investigate the unfortunate development.
The Governor prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed, and urged the bereaved families to look unto God for strength to bear the pain of losing their loved ones.
