Seven-month-old baby and four others k!lled as bus plunges into Ebonyi river

At least five people, including a seven-month-old baby, have been confirmed d3ad following a lone crash on Friday morning along the Enugu–Abakaliki Highway near Nkalagu Junction in Ebonyi State. 

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The accident involved a fully loaded Toyota Hummer bus conveying commercial traders returning to the South-East from the northern part of the country

Five bodies, including that of the infant, have been deposited in the hospital morgue.

The baby’s mother survived the crash but is currently receiving treatment alongside several other injured passengers who were rushed to the emergency unit in critical condition.

Eyewitnesses and officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the crash occurred on a narrow bridge along the highway.

According to them, the driver of the bus attempted to avoid a head-on collision after another vehicle reportedly engaged in a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre on the single-lane stretch of the road. 

In the process, the driver veered off the bridge, and the bus plunged into a river below.

Responders also noted that the accident may have been worsened by the compromised structural condition of the bridge, allegedly due to damage caused by scavengers.