15 Killed, 17 Injured as Trailer Overturns on Kwara Highway in Early Morning Crash

No fewer than 15 people lost their lives while 17 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a tragic road accident that occurred in the early hours of Monday at the Oko-Olowo axis of the Ogbomoso–Oloru Highway in Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The fatal crash, which happened around 2:32 a.m. near the Muslim Cemetery in Oko-Olowo, involved a DAF XF trailer conveying 48 male occupants, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The Kwara State Sector Command of the FRSC said preliminary investigations indicate that the driver lost control of the vehicle after becoming fatigued, causing the trailer to overturn.

The impact of the crash claimed the lives of 15 occupants at the scene. Seventeen others sustained injuries and were rushed to Arewa Medical Centre and Baki Hospital for medical attention, while 16 passengers escaped unhurt.

FRSC rescue personnel responded promptly to the emergency, evacuating the injured to hospitals and moving the bodies of the deceased to a morgue after the recovery operation.

The Corps attributed the tragedy primarily to driver fatigue, stressing that long hours behind the wheel without adequate rest remain a major cause of fatal crashes on Nigerian highways.

The FRSC urged motorists, particularly commercial drivers, to avoid excessive driving without rest, comply with traffic regulations, and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before embarking on any journey.

Monday’s accident is the latest in a series of fatal crashes recorded along the Ogbomoso–Oloru Highway, a busy transport corridor that has witnessed repeated road tragedies in recent years, underscoring renewed calls for stricter adherence to road safety measures.