At least four women have died and nine others sustained injuries in a multiple-vehicle crash at Agulu Lake along the Nanka–Agulu Road in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State.
The accident occurred around 6:18 p.m. on Friday, February 27, and involved 19 people and four vehicles: a Toyota Hiace (Reg. No. HAL676YG), a shuttle bus (Reg. No. UKP274YA), a trailer and a Toyota Hilux, both without visible registration numbers.
The victims were said to be returning from a burial ceremony when the vehicle conveying them reportedly lost control while descending a hill toward a narrow bridge and crashed into three other vehicles.
A video from the scene showed bystanders expressing shock and grief as emergency responders and sympathisers worked to rescue the injured and evacuate the dead.
Confirming the incident, the Sector Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Command, Margaret Onabe, attributed the crash to excessive speed and loss of control.
According to her, FRSC rescue officials from the Nanka outpost observed that the vehicle was travelling downhill at high speed before losing control and colliding with other vehicles. She added that no eyewitness accounts were obtained, as the drivers involved reportedly fled the scene.
Onabe said the 19 people involved comprised six adult males, 10 adult females and three male children. Nine victims — two adult males, four adult females and three male children — were injured, while four adult females lost their lives.
The injured were taken to St. Joseph Hospital, Adazi, for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited in the hospital morgue. Authorities also created an alternative traffic route to ease congestion in the area.
The FRSC Sector Commander, Corps Commander Bridget Asekhauno, extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery. She urged motorists to prioritise safety and exercise caution to prevent avoidable crashes.