One person feared dead in Uyo accident as crowd gathers for Tinubu's visit

An accident involving a bus from the Akwa Ibom Transport Company and a Hilux van occurred on Airport Road in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Reports say the crash has left one person dead.

The accident happened on Friday as many residents, party supporters, and government officials went to Victor Attah International Airport to welcome President Bola Tinubu. He is in the state to open several projects by Governor Umo Eno’s administration.

A video shared on Facebook shows people trying to pull an injured person from the bus and move them across the road. The bus door looked badly damaged, and the Hilux van was overturned, with some people trying to set it upright.

A police officer was seen limping in the video, but it was unclear if the officer was hurt in the crash. In the background, people could be heard crying, mourning a loved one.

“O APC campaign, nice one,” someone was heard saying in the video posted by Comfort 95.1 FM, a radio station in Akwa Ibom State. “According to eyewitnesses, one life has reportedly been lost, while several others sustained injuries,” read a post that came with the video.

The details of the accident, like the identities of those involved and the number of injuries, were not clear right away. When asked, Paul James, the spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Akwa Ibom State, confirmed the accident.

“I’ve heard of the incident, and our men have been sent to help with the situation and rescue operation. But we haven’t received the full report or details yet,” he said. Mr James could not confirm if anyone died until he spoke with the officers at the scene.

This crash happened as Akwa Ibom prepared for Mr Tinubu’s visit. He is expected in Uyo on Friday for a two-day official trip to Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

The president's schedule includes opening several projects by the Eno administration. These projects are the new International Terminal Building, the International Airport Hospital, and the Ibom Aviation Village at Victor Attah International Airport.

Other projects include the Airport-Okopedi Road, which links communities in Nsit Atai and Okobo local government areas, Ring Road 3, the AKWA-GIS Office Complex, the Command and Control Centre, and the ARISE Palm Resort.

Mr Tinubu will head to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday for another APC rally. Ahead of this visit, Mr Eno announced Friday as a work-free day in Akwa Ibom State. He urged residents to come out in large numbers to welcome the president.

This work-free day, along with the planned reception and political events, led to many people moving toward the airport. Heavy traffic was reported along Airport Road.

As of the time of this report, the FRSC had not given any updates about the accident or confirmed the reported death.