A fatal auto accident has claimed eight lives after an over-speeding commercial bus rammed into a commercial truck in a town located between Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, and Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State.

The story making the rounds is that the victims were candidates on their way from Port Harcourt to Aba to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Chika Akachukwu, Aba Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), however told News Express that the profile of the victims did not fit that description.

“It is not likely that they were JAMB candidates. The age range of the victims is 26 to 35 but we expect JAMB candidates to be between 16 and 20 years,” Akachukwu told News Express on phone some minutes ago. He also disclosed that the accident happened yesterday afternoon and not this morning as claimed by rumour mongers.

News Express had earlier contacted Dr. Kayode Olagunju, Rivers State Sector Commander of the FRSC, who after investigations confirmed that the accident did not happen in his territory. “Our Aba Unit handled the crash,” Dr. Olagunju said and proceeded to link News Express with Akachukwu.

The accident, which involved a MACK Truck with registration number X109 SLK and an L300 bus with registration number XY249 PHC, occurred at Ihie1Town. Seventeen people (14 males and three females) were involved in the accident, out of which six males and two females died while nine were injured.

“It was caused by speed violation and loss of control. Our men were there to assist the victims ten minutes after the accident,” Akachukwu revealed.

He said that survivors are receiving treatment at Nwodiaku Memorial Hospital Obuaku while the bodies of the dead have been deposited at Paradise Mortuary Ihie.

News Express reports that over 1.7 million candidates wrote the UTME exam today across Nigeria and in selected centres overseas.

• Photo: FRSC Rivers State Sector Commander, Dr. Kayode Olagunju.