By USMAN ALIYU

Tragedy struck on Saturday morning along the Benin-Auchi highway as 12 passengers were burnt to death in an accident involving a Toyota Hiace bus and a truck.

Cyril Mathew, Edo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who confirmed the incident, said the crash occurred around 5 a.m. at Igueoviobo community, near an army checkpoint on the highway.

According to the FRSC official, the bus, which departed from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and was heading to Benin, collided with an oncoming truck en route Auchi.

?The entire occupants of the bus were killed in the crash.

?The accident likely resulted from fatigue, as the driver may have dozed off, leading to the collision,? he said.

Following the impact, he said, the bus was engulfed in flames, making it impossible to save the victims.

Matthew noted, however, that the FRSC authorities were able to identify the deceased through the vehicle?s manifest and had since contacted their families.

He explained that the truck driver and his assistant, fondly called ?Motor Boy? escaped unhurt.

The FRSC boss once again urged drivers to avoid fatigue while on long journeys, advising them to stop and rest whenever they feel tired to prevent similar tragedies. (NAN)