By Donald Iorchir
Abuja
The Kaduna Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has confirmed the death of three persons and declared 14 others missing after an 18-seater bus plunged into River Rijana on Kaduna-Abuja road.
The Sector’s Head of Operations, Mr. Salisus Galadunci, said the accident occurred around 11 pm.
Galadunci told Blueprint on telephone interview that the 18 persons, who were from one family, were returning to Lokoja from Kano when the accident occurred.
According to him, only one person survived the accident, adding that three bodies were recovered in the river.
“An 18-seater bus travelling to Lokoja from Kano plunged into River Rijana with about 18 persons, all related, returning from Sallah break.
“The incident was reported by the only survivor, a woman, who managed to report to an FRSC ambulance stationed at Doka unit, along Kaduna-Abuja expressway, around 7 am yesterday.
“Rescuers from FRSC Doka, Katari and Kakau were immediately dispatched with ambulances, and with support of local divers to search for others.
“Eventually, only three bodies were recovered, while the remaining persons,, including the survivor’s daughter, could not be found” he said.
He further said that the survivor explained that the accident happened in a flash, and attributed it to over speed and fatigue.
The road marshal said that the recovered bodies have been buried by the river side by villagers, as efforts continue to rescue the 14 missing persons.
