Ovie Okpare, Warri

At least six passengers including two serving members of the National Youths Service Corps on Sunday died in an auto accident along the Effurun-Sapele section of the Warri-Benin highway.

The accident which occurred around the Okwejeba Junction of the highway was said to involve a commercial Volkswagen Jetta car heading towards Sapele and a Toyota Sport Utility Vehicle at about 11:35am.

The Volkswagen Jetta car was said to be conveying the two corps members and other occupants of the vehicle from the Effurun roundabout in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state when the incident happened.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the accident happened as a result of speeding on the part of the driver of the SUV, who attempted to overtake the vehicle bearing the NYSC members.

One of the sources said the victims were all the occupants of the Volkswagen car and they all died on the spot before help could come.

Another source, who narrowly missed the vehicle conveying the victims said, “It was God that just preserved my life by making me get to the car late. It was the first vehicle I approached as I got to the park, but it was already filled. I was surprised to see that the same car had been involved in such an accident, which didn’t spare anybody, not even the driver.”

“It was a horrible site to behold. The SUV which caused the accident was speeding and miscalculated while trying to overtake the commercial vehicle. Police officers rushed to the scene but all the victims had died,” an eyewitness, who identified himself as John stated.

John added that the corpses of the victims were later evacuated to a morgue around Sapele by police officers and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Police Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, said he had not been briefed on the incident.

He, however, promised to call his men around the area to confirm the incident. He did not call back up till the time of filing this report.

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