16 People Burnt to Death in Ogun Auto Crash
Sixteen people tragically lost their lives, and three others sustained life-threatening injuries in a horrific accident on Tuesday afternoon along the Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway in Ogun State.
The incident occurred around 1 p.m. at the Mohammad Buhari Estate axis of Kobape Village, within the Obafemi-Owode local government area. It involved a white Mazda commercial bus, registered as LAGOS: KJA 949 YJ, which was transporting passengers from Ibadan, Oyo State, to Sango-Ota.
Chief Route Commander Florence Okpe, the Public Education Officer of the Ogun Sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), confirmed the crash. She stated that the FRSC’s Sector Commander, Corps Commander Akinwumi Fasakin, personally led the rescue team to the scene. However, the bodies of the victims were burnt beyond recognition, making it impossible to ascertain their genders.
The bus reportedly exploded, possibly due to a gas cylinder among the luggage being carried. Okpe explained that the explosion was likely caused by the ignition of the cylinder, which was improperly transported in the vehicle. The injured victims were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, while the bodies remained at the scene awaiting evacuation.
Okpe expressed dissatisfaction with the incident, highlighting the driver’s negligence in carrying a filled gas cylinder, a highly flammable item, in the bus. She stressed that such items should only be transported with proper care, in designated vehicles driven by trained professionals.
