Vehicle Rams Into Crowd At Calabar Bikers’ Parade, 7 Feared dead, 29 injured
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said seven persons are dead and 29 injured after an incident that occurred during the Calabar Carnival on Tuesday.
Cross River Sector Commander, Maikano Hassan confirmed the number of casualties to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Hassan said tragedy hit the event in front of the Jumat Mosque in Bogobiri in Calabar during the Bikers Carnival activity.
The injured include 21 male adults, three women, two male children, and three female children.
They were rushed to the Naval Hospital and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
The FRSC said the remains of the dead had been deposited in the two government hospitals in Calabar.
Hassan confirmed that a Toyota Camry car lost control and rammed into a crowd of onlookers.
The incident was said to have occurred on Tuesday after an unregistered vehicle that took part in the event lost control and rammed into spectators at the Bogobiri axis of the carnival route.
Following the unfortunate incident, some aggrieved residents of the Bogobiri community were involved in a fracas, forcing law enforcement agencies to use tear gas to disperse the angry crowd.
Some eyewitnesses blamed the accident on poor crowd control.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has expressed sadness over the incident.
Ayade, according to a statement by his media aide, Christian Ita, said he is devastated by the development. He equally directed security agencies to arrest the motorist who is on the run.
While sympathising with the victims of the accident and their families, the governor ordered an immediate investigation to unravel how the motorist was able to get through security barricades to have access to the routes which were closed to the public.
He also directed the immediate discontinuation of the Bikers’ parade in honour of the victims. Governor Ayade, however, called for calm, promising to ensure the culprit is arrested and brought to book.
