Six Dead and Twelve Injured in Road Mishap in Benue

At least six passengers have been reported dead, while twelve others suffered injuries in a tragic road accident on the Makurdi–Otukpo highway.

The collision involved an 18-seater bus operated by Benue Links Nigeria Limited and a truck purportedly owned by China Harbour Engineering Company.

According to eyewitness accounts, the incident took place on Friday around 4 p.m., near the now-defunct Benue Burnt Bricks factory, close to the municipality of Otukpo.

Witnesses revealed that the ill-fated bus was transporting passengers from Makurdi to Otukpo and was nearing its destination, just under three kilometres away from Otukpo, when the crash occurred.

They indicated that five passengers died at the scene, while another victim later succumbed to injuries at the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Otukpo, where the injured were taken for treatment.

“It is unfortunate that the passengers were already almost in Otukpo and heading into the town when the truck collided with the bus on the dusty road due to ongoing construction for the dualization of the Makurdi-Enugu route,” said a witness.

“There was reduced visibility due to the dust. The truck driver likely did not see the approaching bus and crashed into it. Five passengers died immediately, and another passed away at the hospital,” another witness recounted.

Among the twelve survivors, some, including a seven-month-old baby, sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Additionally, a witness mentioned that a similar accident occurred on February 28 at Ahumbe village along the same route, where four bodies littered the road before they could be evacuated. Four people were injured in that event when a passenger vehicle, which did not belong to Benue Links, collided head-on with another truck from the China Harbour Engineering Construction Company.

The Public Relations Officer for Benue Links Nigeria Limited, Johnson Ehi, confirmed the incident, stating that the company has assumed responsibility for the medical treatment of the injured passengers.

“The casualty count stands at six—five males and one female. The bus was on its way from Makurdi to Otukpo at the time of the accident,” Ehi remarked.

He added, “The remaining twelve passengers are currently receiving treatment. Benue Links has taken on the costs of their medical care at the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Otukpo.”

Attempts to reach the Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, for further comments were unsuccessful at the time of this report.