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Owerri, the capital of Imo State, was rocked by tragedy on Friday morning as a fatal road collision occurred on the vital Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, resulting in numerous casualties.
Information obtained by The Eastern Updates indicates that a group of individuals from the Lord’s Chosen Church were caught up in a collision as their upscale bus collided with a Tipper truck.
It’s been reported that the church members were on their way to Owerri for a weekend crusade when the unfortunate incident took place.
A witness, who preferred to remain anonymous, informed the press that at least 20 members of the church were feared deceased in the crash.
“Yes. It (the accident) happened at the Orogwe end of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway here in Owerri. From what I have seen, I think over 20 people died in this accident,” he said.
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According to the witness, some residents had quickly transported a few of the victims to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Imo State police spokesperson Henry Okoye, an assistant of police, confirmed the incident when contacted, stating that more than five individuals had been reported dead, and an undetermined number of victims had been conveyed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
“Over five (victims) have been confirmed dead. I don’t have the statistics for now. Those confirmed dead have also been deposited in the mortuary,” Okoye said.
As relayed by the police spokesperson, it was stated that the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Danjuma Aboki, has swiftly reacted by dispatching a traffic team to the accident scene to assist in evacuating victims. Additionally, extra police operatives have been deployed to manage the significant traffic congestion resulting from the incident.