At least 12 passengers were burnt to de@th in a fatal accident involving a Toyota Hiace bus and a truck that happened along the Benin-Auchi highway today March 1.

The Edo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Cyril Mathew, who confirmed the incident, said the crash occurred around 5 a.m. at Igueoviobo community, near an army checkpoint on the highway

According to the FRSC official, the bus, which departed from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and was heading to Benin, collided with an oncoming truck en route Auchi.

“The entire occupants of the bus were killed in the crash. The accident likely resulted from fatigue, as the driver may have dozed off, leading to the collision” he said

Cyril said following the impact, the bus was engulfed in flames, making it impossible to save the victims.

He noted, however, that the FRSC authorities were able to identify the deceased through the vehicle’s manifest and had since contacted their families.

He explained that the truck driver and his assistant, fondly called “Motor Boy” escaped unhurt.

The FRSC boss once again urged drivers to avoid fatigue while on long journeys, advising them to stop and rest whenever they feel tired to prevent similar tragedies