The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has reported that at least 13 people lost their lives in road accidents across Edo State in November 2024. The Sector Commander of the FRSC, Cyril Mathew, confirmed this tragic news during an address to journalists in Benin City on Sunday.
According to Mathew, the fatalities resulted from multiple accidents that occurred throughout the state during that month. In addition to the 13 deaths, he noted that 76 passengers sustained injuries, and 1,524 drivers were apprehended for various traffic violations.
He explained that the primary causes of the accidents were factors such as brake failure, speeding, reckless driving, and the use of mobile phones while driving. Other contributing factors included route violations and failure to adhere to basic traffic regulations. Mathew also outlined that the 1,524 traffic offenders were arrested for a range of violations, including driving without a fire extinguisher, not installing a speed-limiting device, tyre violations, seat belt violations, overloading, driving against traffic, and using phones while driving.
All offenders were arraigned in a mobile court, where they were fined according to the severity of their violations.
The FRSC official issued a stern warning to motorists, urging them to avoid dangerous practices such as overspeeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving at night, and using phones while driving. He emphasized that these behaviors contribute significantly to road accidents and endanger the lives of everyone on the road.
In a separate incident, barely two weeks ago, a deadly automobile accident occurred near Tage Bridge in the Kafin Hausa Local Government Area of Jigawa State. On the Monday of that week, a passenger vehicle was involved in a crash that resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people. Eyewitnesses described the scene as horrifying, with numerous bodies scattered across the area.
The Jigawa State Police Command confirmed the incident through its Public Relations Officer, DSP Shi’isu Adam, who stated that the driver of the vehicle survived the crash and is currently cooperating with the police to determine the cause of the accident. The incident occurred when a Golf 3 Wagon, with the license plate GML 842 XA, was traveling from Hadejia town to Makera village. The vehicle reportedly overturned and plunged into a river.
Adam further revealed that the identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed, pending notification of their families. The police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.