5 killed, 16 injured as vehicle rams into roadside market in Benue

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By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi

Tragedy struck Wednesday when a vehicle lost control and rammed into a road market in Gboko, Benue State, killing five people while 16 others sustained various degrees of injury.

An eyewitness said that the incident occurred around 7pm on Tuesday when the driver of the vehicle lost control after the brake of his vehicle failed at the front of Temperance Hotel, Akaajime within Gboko town.

It was gathered that the vehicle was heading to Mkar, a community bordering Gboko when the accident happened.

According to the eyewitness, “the vehicle was coming from Gboko town to Mkar, in Gboko Local Government Area of the state when the incident happened at Akaajime around 7pm.

“Five people were killed on the spot, and 16 people were injured and are receiving treatment at private hospitals in Gboko.

“There are 12 injured people at St. Joseph and four others at Atuna Hospitals in Gboko receiving treatment”, he explained.

Chairman of Gboko Local Government Council, James Kachina, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, said he had visited the injured ones at the hospital.

The council boss was accompanied by the leader of Gboko Legislative House, Hon. Peters Maaki and visited the two hospitals the injured are receiving treatment; Atuna and St John’s hospitals all in Gboko.

He stated that 16 injured people were admitted in two different hospitals in Gboko town and pledged the council’s assistance to them.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Catherine Anene, a Superintendent of Police, SP, confirmed the accident but said that two people were killed.

“A fatal motor accident occurred and two persons died”, she said.