Eight persons have died on the spot in separate motor
accidents that occurred last Sunday night in three metropolia of the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT).
The fatal accidents coincided with the referral of16
drivers by Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for
psychiatric evaluation for violation of traffic regulations.
Seven persons were pronounced dead in one of the accidents in
Kubwa on the Outer Northern expressway.
The accident involved a Bedford lorry (tipper) loaded
with gravel, which crushed a Toyota Camry car, killing the driver and all six
passengers.
The second accident occurred at Kugbo hill, some metres
away from the Nyanya junction.
According to eyewitnesses' accounts, one life was lost after
a vehicle that was descending the hill developed hydraulic failure, prompting
it to plough into another trailer.
Due to the severity of the accidents, all the occupants of
two affected vehicles had their legs amputated as rescue workers struggled to
remove them from the wreckage.
The third accident happened in the Central Business
District of Abuja.
According to the Chairman of FCT Task Force on
Traffic, Ikharo Attah, the accident resulted from driving under the influence
of alcohol.
Although no life was lost in the accident, three persons in
one of the vehicles were treated in a hospital for severe head injuries.
The victims were said to be returning from a bar located in
one of the open parks in the city last Sunday night before they had the
accident.
According to eyewitnesses, different bottles of
alcohol were found in the vehicles after the accident.
Meanwhile, the Director of Directorate of Road
Traffic Service (DRTS), Wadata Bodinga, said 16 of the traffic offenders who were
recommended for a psychiatric test were among the 34 persons arrested for traffic
violation and arraigned before the traffic mobile court.
Bodinga disclosed at a joint briefing with the acting
Director Service Improvement, Dr. Jummai Ahmadu and Attah that fines ranging
from N30,000 to N40,000 were imposed on the 34 offenders when they appeared
before the mobile court on Monday.
He said the culprits committed offences varying from
violation of traffic light to driving against traffic and resisting arrest by
traffic inspectors.
According to Bodinga, "The operation was
basically successful except some little challenges that had to do with the
people that resisted arrest. We have only one case of someone who tried to run
with our officer, and along the line, there was a minor road accident but
fortunately for us, nobody got injured.
“The person has since been remanded at Kuje Prison because of
his action-deliberate dangerous driving and intention to abduct our officer."
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