Three health workers die in Kwara road crash

A somber mood has enveloped the Ekiti Local Government area and the broader health community following a tragic road accident that claimed the lives of three members of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria. The victims were returning to their local government area after attending the May Day celebrations in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, when their commercial Mazda bus was involved in a lone crash on the Oke-Onigbin–Omu-Aran highway.

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The crash was a lone accident involving a Mazda commercial bus with registration number ARP627KY. It occurred as a result of overspeeding.

Confirming the devastating incident, the Kwara State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kabir Kazeem, stated that the crash occurred around 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. Preliminary findings suggest that excessive speed and a subsequent tyre burst led the driver to lose control of the vehicle, resulting in the fatal outcome. The bus, marked ARP627KY, carried seven occupants—three men and four women—three of whom tragically lost their lives at the scene.

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Seven persons were involved in the crash, three males and four females. Unfortunately, three of the female occupants lost their lives on the spot.

The Chairman of Ekiti Local Government Area, Awelewa Gabriel, expressed profound grief, describing the incident as a devastating loss. He assured that the local government would collaborate with relevant authorities to support the families of the deceased and aid the recovery of the injured. Similarly, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, lamented the incident as a significant blow to the health system, noting the deceased were actively involved in crucial health initiatives, including the ongoing polio immunisation campaign.

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The driver lost control after one of the tyres burst, which led to the crash.