Pregnant Woman, Professor, 4 Others Die In Fatal Accident

A Professor of Human Physiology and Dean,
Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences at the Federal
University in Ebonyi State, Prof. Robert Nneli,
and five others on Thursday died in a multiple
auto crash that occurred along the Ezzamgbo
axis of the Abakaliki/Enugu Expressway.
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road
Safety Corps in Ebonyi State, Mrs. Stella
Uchendu, who confirmed the accident, said that
the crash occurred around 9pm on Thursday
night.
The FRSC boss said that the accident happened
as a result of a head-on collision that involved a
trailer with registration number Nassarawa 2183
XT.
“The vehicle veered off its lane and had a head-
on collision with an oncoming articulated vehicle
and crushed it. The accident equally claimed the
lives of a pregnant woman and a nine-month-
old baby among others,” she said.
Investigation revealed that Professor Nneli was
travelling with his Toyota Camry vehicle to his
hometown in Anambra State when the incident
occurred.
It was gathered that his driver also died in the
crash while his son survived and is currently
receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
The second accident involved a jeep that
rammed into the trailer that was involved in the
first incident and it occurred at 11pm.
It was learnt that the accident led to the instant
death of the five occupants while the six
survivors of the crash who sustained injuries are
receiving treatment in the hospital.
Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps
evacuated both the dead victims and the injured
to hospital.
Reacting to the incident, the Ebonyi State Police
PRO, Jude Madu, debunked insinuations in some
quarters that police officers were to blame for
the accident, reiterating that officers of the
command were stationed at the scene of the
incident directing traffic.
“It is unfortunate that motorists refused to heed
the instructions of the police officers, including
the driver of the SUV involved in the crash,”
Madu claimed.