14 wedding guests killed in auto crash

Tragedy enveloped Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, over the weekend as an auto crash killed at least 14 guests returning from a traditional marriage and wedding ceremony.

The victims were said to be travelling back from a ceremony in Enugu on Saturday night when the coaster bus conveying them collided head-on with an articulated vehicle along the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway near the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ozalla.

According to Vanguard, eyewitnesses said the incident occurred around 6:00 p.m., just a few metres from the popular 4-Corner Junction.

The 14 passengers reportedly died instantly, while others later succumbed to injuries in hospital. Some survivors are still battling for their lives in medical facilities in Umuahia.

The majority of those who died were said to be traders dealing in foodstuffs at Bonny Street, by Owerri Road near Isi Gate, Umuahia.

The groom, Mr. MacDonald Okechukwu, an indigene of Orlu in Imo State, was said to be among the traders in the area. His wife hails from Amagunze in Nkanu, Enugu State, where both the traditional marriage and wedding ceremony were held shortly before the tragedy.

The usually bustling business hub wore a sombre look on Monday, with shops shut as sympathisers thronged the area to console grieving families.

Confirming the incident, Chairman of Bonny Street Traders Association, Mr. James Edeh, described the crash as horrific.

He said preliminary accounts from the trailer driver suggested the bus was allegedly driving against traffic while the trailer attempted to overtake a tricycle, leading to the fatal head-on collision.

“We evacuated 12 bodies, including eight traders, two kinsmen of the groom, and two other guests,” Edeh said.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the governor had directed that victims be identified for assistance.

“The governor expressed sadness over the incident and directed the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection to identify the victims and their families to enable the government to provide support for treatment of the injured and assistance to bereaved families,” he said.