At least six people were killed and five others injured late Tuesday after a passenger van plunged into a ditch along the Awka–Onitsha Expressway in Anambra State, authorities confirmed.
The accident occurred around 8:45 p.m. as the vehicle, believed to be returning from a funeral ceremony, lost control after reportedly swerving to avoid a stray motorcycle. Eyewitnesses told rescuers that the van veered off the road and rolled before crashing into a deep drainage ditch beside the highway.
Emergency responders evacuated the victims to a nearby hospital, where five injured passengers were admitted for treatment. The names of the deceased are yet to be released pending notification of next of kin.
Anambra State’s Commissioner of Traffic Management, Mr. Emeka Okoye, blamed poor vehicle maintenance and speeding for the crash, urging commercial transport operators to adhere strictly to road-safety regulations. He warned: “Careless driving, faulty brakes and overloaded vehicles are a death trap on our road network.”
The tragedy adds to a growing record of deadly road accidents in the southeast region, prompting renewed calls from civil-society organisations for stricter enforcement of traffic laws and regular road maintenance to prevent further loss of lives.
