Two people have lost their lives while three others sustained injuries in a fatal accident near the permanent site of Ebonyi State University, along the Abakaliki–Enugu Expressway.
The crash, which occurred on Saturday, involved a commercial bus carrying passengers from Otukpo, Benue State, and a Mercedes-Benz 911 truck transporting sachet water from Enugu to Abakaliki.
Eyewitness accounts and preliminary findings indicated that the accident was linked to the partial closure of the federal highway around Ishieke Police Station, where security operatives had reportedly blocked one lane of the road.
The Ishieke axis has become notorious for frequent road mishaps in recent months.
Confirming the incident, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Ebonyi State, Anthony Ogbodo, said the accident was caused by reckless driving and worsened by the roadblock.
“Out of the ten passengers in the bus, two, a man and a woman, sadly died on the spot, while three others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“They were immediately taken to a hospital for treatment,” Ogbodo explained.
He added that the road closure by police at night contributed significantly to the collision, stressing the need for better coordination between security agencies and traffic management authorities.
The remains of the deceased victims have been deposited at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital morgue in Abakaliki.
Attempts to reach the police authorities for a reaction were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.