FRSC Confirms Number Of People That Died In Calabar Carnival Vehicle Accident

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the number of casualties recorded after a vehicle rammed into a crowd at the ongoing Calabar Carnival in Cross River State on Tuesday.

Naija News had reported earlier that over twenty people got injured and many killed when a driver of a vehicle lost control of his wheels and plunged into the crowd on Tuesday, December 27, 2022.

The errant motorist was said to have thronged the Carnival route to watch the bikers’ parade.

A subsequent report emerging from the state command of the FRSC has confirmed that seven persons died in the incident while 29 sustained various degrees of injuries.

In a statement issued to reporters hours after the incident, the Sector Commander of the Corps, Maikano Hassan, said the incident occurred in front of the Jumat Mosque in Bogobiri in the capital city of Cross River during the Bikers Carnival activity of the carnival.

According to the FRSC official, those injured include 21 male adults, three women, two male children and three female children.

Hassan noted that the injured receiving medical attention at the Naval hospital and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).

Naija News understands also that the remains of the dead had been deposited in the two hospitals in Calabar. Giving a further account of the incident, Hassan said the incident involved a Toyota Camry car.

He narrated that the driver of the car lost control and rammed into a crowd of onlookers during the carnival.

Governor Ben Ayade was already seated with other dignitaries when the incident happened on Tuesday. Due to this, he ordered the abrupt stop of the event which was already on its fifth day.

The Governor has since condoled the families of those who lost their lives in the incident while he assured that necessary action would be taken.

Naija News understands that the annual Calabar carnival was started during the administration of former Governor Donald Duke.

The event has not been held for the past two years following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. Reports, however, said efforts were still being made to put some facilities in place for the 2022 edition of the carnival which was hurriedly put up.