By Hosea parah, Abuja

No fewer than 17 passengers were killed in a fatal road accident in the early hours of Tuesday along the Kwali-Abaji expressway in Abuja.

The road crash also injured four passengers, leaving one uninjured.

According a statement signed by the Federal Road Safety Corps Spokesperson, Bisi Kazeem on Tuesday, investigation into the fatal crash revealed that the crash involved 1 DAF Trailer with registration number BAU 632 XA, and a Toyota Bus with registration number GME 201 ZU.

The main cause of the crash, according to the report gathered by the Corps, were excess speed and fatigue.

It was gathered that the emergency rescue team of the Corps had concluded the rescue of the injured victims to Abaji General Hospital for immediate medical attention, while the remains of the dead victims were deposited at the mortuary.

Speaking on the causes of the crash, the Acting Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, maintained that drivers must avoid speeding as crash investigation conducted over the years have attributed major causes of crashes in Nigeria to excessive violation of legal speed limit on all roads.

Biu also revealed that the fatigue was as a result of the driver’s indulgence in a night long trip, without observing adequate rest within the driving period.

According to him, it was this and many other factors that necessitated the directive given by the Federal Government for the Corps to commence sensitisation and subsequently, enforcement on compulsory installation of speed limiting device.

While warning violators to desist from compromising road traffic regulations, he assured the public that the Corps will step up formidable operational activities that will bring this menace to an end.

Concluding, he admonished the public to always patronize the FRSC toll free line 122 and the National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM which are always available for all road users to report emergencies at any given time.