Abuja crash: FRSC demands fresh Dangote fleet certification

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Shehu Mohammed, has directed the immediate fresh inspection and certification of the Dangote fleet nationwide.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mohammed gave the order in a statement by the acting Corps Public Relations Officer, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, in Abuja, on Thursday.

He said the directives became necessary following a fatal road traffic crash involving a Dangote truck on Wednesday on the Nyanya-Maraba highway, which claimed five lives and injured 14 others.

He added that the crash, which occurred at 8:40 pm, involved 10 vehicles, including a Dangote truck.

“From the analysis concerning the cause of the crash, the Dangote trailer conveying a full load of cement had a brake failure.

“The driver lost control of the wheels while on a speed that was already against the prescribed legal speed limit on that road, before crashing into the vehicles,” he said.

The Corps Marshal also ordered the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Office of the Corps to ensure maximum compliance with safety standards.

The NAN reports that three injured victims were rescued and taken to Nyanya General Hospital, three to Asokoro General Hospital, and nine to the National Hospital, Abuja.

The dead victims were deposited in the Karu General Hospital Morgue after they were confirmed dead by doctors.

The 10 vehicles involved in the accident were a Toyota Corolla RSH-633-FB, a red Volkswagen Golf without a registration number, a black Volkswagen Golf 3 AF160-KAC and another red Volkswagen Golf 3 SML-199AA.

Others were a silver colour 406 Peugeot YAB-307AF, a green Volkswagen Golf ABC-846ZW, and three Bajaj Boxer unregistered motorcycles.

The corps said 19 victims (15 male adults and four female adults) were involved.

From the number, the corps said 14 male adults sustained various degrees of injuries, including cuts, fractures, bruises etc.

The corps also said five victims, comprising four males and one female, were killed.