[News] Four dead, one missing as Kano-bound 18 seater bus plunges into river in Kogi after the driver slept off

Four corpses have been recovered and 13 passengers rescued alive while one person still missing after an 18 seater bus plunged into the Black River a tributary to river Niger in Koton Karfe, Kogi State.

The accident occured around 7.30 pm, on Tuesday, September 21, when the driver of the bus slept off, lost control and plunged into the river.

 

The state Sector Commander of the FRSC, Solomon Agure, who confirmed the incident said that the bus with registration number Plateau-JJN 73 XA, took off from Ijora Seven Up under bridge in Lagos and was heading to Kano.

 

According to Agure, four passngers including a woman died while seven others were critically injured.

 

Also confirming the incident in Lokoja, the state Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Suleiman Mafara, said on the receipt of the distress call, his men of the Disaster and Crisis Unit in conjunction with the Federal Roads Safety Corps and volunteer divers were mobilised to the scene.

 

He said that four corpses have already been recovered and 13 others have been rescued alive while one person is still missing.

 

He added that his men and other security personnel are working round the clock to recover the only person yet to be accounted for.

 

He added that the corpses have been deposited in a morgue in Lokoja.

 

He warned drivers and commuters to adhere strictly to the road safety guidelines to prevent avoidable carnage on the highways.