No fewer than nine persons have been reported dead while others sustained varying degree of injuries in a fatal road accident involving a passenger bus and a private car at Iwukem Village area of Akwa Ibom State.
The accident occured during the late evening hours on Friday, May 31, 2025, along the Iwukem Village portion of the Afahaobong, Abak local government area.
According to an eyewitness from the neighbouring Udianga Enem village, Idara Marcus, the Toyota bus was conveying passengers from Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital to Port Harcourt, when it collided with a private Toyota car, conveying some University students.
Speaking to our Correspondent, Idara explained that the incident happened at the Usung Atai axis of the single lane route, adding that the two vehicles plunged into each other while trying to avoid a bad portion of the road.
The white coloured bus has the inscription ‘Delking Motors’ with registration number NDN 419 Y, while the other car was totally wreaked with the registration number not properly identified.
“There’s a very bad portion of the road between Ikot Agwak and Iwukem villages. Both vehicles were obviously on top speed, but suddenly met each other head on.
According to him, five people died in the Toyota bus, commonly called Hummer Bus while all the four occupants of the private car lost their lives.
He added that those fatally wounded including the driver of the bus, who were fatally injured were currently receiving treatments at the General Hospital, Etim Ekpo LGA.
A community leader in Etim Ekpo, Akpan Enang recalled that since the road was constricted since the era of Senator Godswill Akpabio as governor, over 50 persons have lost their lives due to poor allignment of the single lane road, with no maintenance.
He feared that the number of the dead victims could rise as those taken to primary health hospital without preparation for such emergency for lacking personnel and facilities.
Public Relations Officer of the State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Paul James, said the Command was yet to get report of the accident from their emergency medical team.
