No fewer than three persons died in an auto crash on the Auchi-Okene axis of the Benin-Lokoja road on Saturday morning.

Mr Bisi Kazeem, the spokesman of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Kazeem said that 50 others, including a child, were injured and had been taken to the hospital for treatment.

He said a white Mercedez Benz Chisco Paradiso luxury bus conveying 82 passengers was involved in the lone accident.

The crash which occurred at about 4 a.m. at the Sharp Corner Checkpoint on the Okene end of the road was caused by brake failure.

“FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene 20 minutes later and took the injured and corpses to the General Hospital in Okene (Kogi),” he said.

Kazeem reiterated FRSC’s advice to motorists to regularly check their vehicles and ensure they were road worthy before putting them on the highway.