A joyous cultural celebration in Nasarawa State turned into a scene of tragedy and mourning on Sunday, December 28, after a horrific accident claimed four lives and left seven others injured.
Festival Joy Shattered by Reckless Driving
The incident occurred during the annual Eggon Festival and Carnival, a vibrant event held at the Eggon Community Secondary School in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area. According to official confirmation from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), three trucks ploughed into a crowd of revelers during a procession.
Corps Commander Yahaya Sabo of the FRSC stated that preliminary investigations point to reckless driving as the cause of the devastating crash. He added that a full investigation into the circumstances is currently ongoing.
Eyewitness Accounts and Victim Identification
Eyewitnesses at the scene described the event as both tragic and entirely avoidable. They blamed the drivers of the trucks for a severe lack of caution while operating their vehicles in an environment densely packed with people celebrating the festival.
The community has begun to mourn the identified victims. Two of the deceased have been named as Asheazi Musa and Comrade Asele Amos Asele, the latter widely known by the moniker Oyibo Eggon.
Aftermath and Emergency Response
Emergency services responded swiftly to the catastrophe. The bodies of the four individuals who lost their lives have been moved to the mortuary at the Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital.
The seven survivors, who sustained injuries of varying severity, are currently receiving necessary medical care at the General Hospital in Nasarawa Eggon. The incident has cast a dark shadow over the normally colorful and festive period, leaving the local community in a state of profound grief.
