From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Scores of commuters plying the Benin-Sapele were killed on Sunday in a multiple auto crash involving a tanker laden with petrol and over 15 commercial and private vehicles.
The tanker was said to have fallen on its own while meandering through the deplorable portion between Ologbo in Edo State and Koko in Delta State.
It immediately exploded, resulting in the razing of nearby vehicles which were trapped in the usual gridlock on the failed road.
The accident occurred during the wee hours of the day which was the 63rd anniversary of Nigeria’s independence.
Unofficial sources said scores of persons were burnt to death as they were trapped in the raging inferno.
Confirming the accident however, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Delta State, Mr. Udeme Bassey Eshiet, said eight people were burnt beyond recognition with seven others sustaining injuries.
Saying that 15 vehicles were involved in the crash, Eshiet attributed the cause of the accident to fuel explosion from the tanker that fell on its own.
In a gory video which went viral, roasted bodies of victims and the carcasses of burnt vehicles were recorded.
A voice in the recorded video described the dilapidated road as a national crisis, saying that the failed portion has become a death trap for Nigerians.
Fuel and diesel tankers are failing here because of the gridlock occasioned by the bad road between Ologbo and Koko. This is a national crisis that needs the attention of all relevant authorities.
“People spend days here for a journey that should ordinarily not exceed 30 minutes. Right now people are stranded because of the tanker that exploded, everybody around was consumed by the fire.
“Nigerians are dying in numbers on this road, the Benin-Sapele road is a nightmare. The federal government should come to the aid of commuters. We need help.
Nigerians can no longer travel and arrive at their destination. If kidnappers don’t attack, the bad will spell doom,” the voice said.