The Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) has confirmed that 16 people died from the accident involving People Democratic Party (PDP) supporters on Saturday 14 January 2023 in Plateau State.
In addition to that 83 others were injured in the auto crash, as the total number of people involved in the crash was 99.
It was earlier reported that many supporters of the PDP were reportedly feared dead as a truck conveying them crashed in the Panyam area of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Saturday.
It was gathered that a spokesperson of the FRSC in Plateau, Peter Longsan, confirmed the incident, but could not ascertain how many casualties were involved then.
It was learned that the truck involved in the accident was conveying the PDP supporters who were returning from a zonal campaign rally in Pankshin Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement on Sunday, the FRSC said the unfortunate incident, which occurred on Saturday at about 5:00 pm was a lone crash involving a truck conveying people from a Plateau Central Zone political campaign rally of the PDP.
The stateme reads, “The number of people involved was 99; the number of people killed in the crash was 16, all adult males, while 83 people sustained various degrees of injury. The injured victims were taken to hospitals in Panyam and Mangu town, both in Mangu LGA.
“FRSC Operatives of Pankshin Unit Command, passersby, volunteers, and other spirited individuals evacuated the injured victims for medical attention, while the corpses of the deceased were deposited at Mangu General Hospital, Panyam General Hospital, and Nissi Private Hospital, all in Mangu LGA.
The unfortunate incident happened as a result of excessive speed and overloading, which led to loss of control and resulted in the crash.”
Longsan cautioned against the use of vehicles strictly for the purpose the manufacturer intended them for and also appealed to motorists to maintain a safe speed in order to avoid the risk of being involved in road traffic crashes.
He as well advised drivers to ensure the installation of speed-limiting devices on their vehicles and ensure proper maintenance of their vehicles.
By Tayo Elegbede
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