Five persons have reportedly died in a road crash that occurred around the Warrake-Afuze road in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to report the accident involved a campaign vehicle belonging to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Monday Okpebholo, and a private vehicle.
It was gathered that the victims were returning from a burial ceremony when they met their untimely deaths.
One of the victims was identified as Emmanuel Edionwe.
The bodies of four of the victims were deposited at the Edo State University, Uzaurie Mortuary in Etsako West Local Government Area.
It was gathered that the campaign vehicle rammed into the victims’ silver Camry Sedan when they were attempting to negotiate a sharp bend on the road, with many eyewitnesses stating that the accident occurred as a result of bad driving.
A relative of Emmanuel Edionwe, one of the deceased, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the accident as unfortunate.
“We are devastated beyond words. Emmanuel was a good, easygoing boy who should not be dead today.
“He and his friends were driving in the silver Camry car. After the accident, we learned that five of them have died after the head-on collision with the APC governorship candidate’s campaign vehicle.
“In the accident, Emmanuel and four of his friends died. There is just one of them who is in critical condition and is now being treated by doctors at the hospital.”
“Edionwe died at the Irrua Specialist Hospital (ISH) in Irrua, where he was later transferred for specialist care.
“It was officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who evacuated the bodies from the scene of the accident. Four of them died yesterday. One died this morning. There is only one surviving person in critical condition,” he said.
The Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Matthew Cyril Zango, who confirmed the accident, said two persons died, contrary to the five reported on social media platforms.
Zango said the APC campaign vehicles were traveling from Auchi to Afuze.
He said one of the vehicles, Thunder, carrying musical equipment, rammed into the silver Camry Sedan traveling from Afuze while trying to negotiate a bend on the road.
“Two of the occupants of the car who were said to be returning from a burial ceremony lost their lives in the crash.”
He said he was yet to get further updates on the accident from the Afuze unit commander of the FRSC.
