The Federal Road Safety Corps on Sunday confirmed that 17 persons died in an automobile crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Yusuf Salami, the Oyo State Sector Commander of the commission, told the News Agency of Nigeria that 79 persons were injured in the crash.
Salami said the accident, which involved an articulated vehicle and a Peugeot J5 bus, occurred at Sepo area of the highway.
One of the survivors of the accident, who gave his name as Mohammed Seripino, said the trailer was coming from Kaduna and had travelled all night.
He said each passenger paid N1,000 as transport fare, adding that the journey from Kaduna was smooth before the accident occurred.
“We are all Hausa. We were coming from Kaduna. Each passenger paid N1,000. This (accident) is not good,” he said.
Salami said the accident occurred due to impatience, over speeding and struggle for the right of way by both vehicles, which were travelling from Ibadan to Lagos.
He said: “A Peugeot J5 with number plate XS 626 LSV and a DAF articulated vehicle with number plate AA 902 MML, crashed as both drivers were struggling for the right of the way.
“They were both going to Lagos when the accident happened at about 9.30am.
“There were 96 people involved with 17 confirmed dead.
“It is obvious that both drivers were over speeding and suddenly lost control of the vehicles.
“The Peugeot bus was loaded with passengers and goods, but the casualty figure rose because the other vehicle was travelling to Lagos with huge number of illegal passengers.”
Salami said the corpses had been deposited at the Adeoyo State Hospital morgue in Ibadan, while the injured were taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan Central Hospital and Kejide Hospital.
