Anambra: Four Dead in Vehicle Collision, Drivers Flee Scene

A Friday night collision at the Agulu Lake bridge in Anambra State has claimed the lives of four women. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed on Saturday that the crash involved four vehicles on the Nanka-Agulu Road. According to the Sector Commander, Mrs. Bridget Asekhauno, the accident was a direct result of speeding and a subsequent loss of control. In a cowardly turn, every driver involved in the pile-up fled the scene before rescuers arrived, leaving victims to their fate.

The wreckage told a story of high-speed negligence. A Toyota Hiace bus, descending the Agulu hill, reportedly lost control and rammed into a shuttle bus, a trailer, and a Toyota Hilux. Both the trailer and the Hilux were operating without registration numbers, a common but dangerous oversight on Nigerian roads. The force of the impact suggests the Hiace was travelling well above the safe limit for such a treacherous stretch of road.

A total of 19 people were caught in the carnage, including three male children and ten women. While the children and men survived, the four women died from the severity of their injuries. Five other passengers sustained various degrees of trauma and are currently receiving treatment at St. Joseph Hospital in Adazi. The bodies of the deceased have been moved to the hospital’s mortuary as families begin the grim task of identification.

The Agulu Lake axis is notorious for its steep incline and sharp bends, yet motorists frequently ignore safety warnings. The FRSC rescue team from the Nanka outpost had to create an alternative route to prevent a total gridlock on the busy artery. This incident serves as a bloody reminder that “speeding” is rarely just a fine; it is often a death sentence for innocent commuters. The disappearance of the drivers suggests they were well aware of their culpability.

Mrs. Asekhauno has urged the public to take responsibility for road safety, noting that cautious driving prevents such “avoidable” tragedies. The hunt for the fugitive drivers is likely to be hampered by the lack of number plates on half the vehicles involved. This highlights a persistent failure in vehicle registration enforcement that allows hit-and-run offenders to vanish into the shadows. Until the law catches up with such recklessness, the Agulu hill remains a high-risk zone.

For now, the state command is focusing on clearing the wreckage and restoring the natural flow of traffic. The survivors face a long recovery, both physically and psychologically, after a night of terror on the road. The FRSC’s mantra”drive safely to stay alive” has never felt more urgent for those navigating Anambra’s internal highways.