A pregnant woman and 16 others were on Sunday claimed in tragic accident at Asaba-Illah road in Delta State.
It was gathered that the victims perished on the deplorable road while traveling to Abuja.
Eye witness, Jeremiah Kennedy said the vehicle with registration number AA 261 XX, bumped into a pot hole and somersaulted several times.
He said a pregnant woman and sixteen others died on the spot.
Investigation revealed that residents of Ugbolu, Illah communities under Oshimili North Local Government Area of the State have been facing challenges over the the deplorable conditions of the road.
The Asaba-Illah-Ebu-Ugbolu road, a federal road, had been neglected over the years for inexplicable reasons and had claimed several lives, especially during night fall, when unsuspecting motorists ply it.
A resident of the area, who spoke to media, John Anosike said; “There is need for urgent government intervention to alleviate the suffering of the road users, and save them from robbery attacks by bandits who waylay them at the deplorable spots.”
But an official of the Federal Ministry of Works, Sylvester Ogor, told the media, “No fund has been approved for the repairs of the road, hence the road gets worsened and now a death trap, as soon as money is approved, we will commence work on the road”.
Sources said transporters going to Illah/Ebu would prefer to go through Asaba-Benin Expressway via Otulu Junction by Akwukwu-Igbo to Illah, a journey of about one hour
The sources added that the pregnant woman, and the sixteen persons who died were taken to the FMC Asaba mortuary.
