Imo State Police Command has launched an investigation into a fatal road crash that claimed the lives of 12 Jehovah’s Witnesses returning from a convention.
The tragedy occurred on Sunday night along the Owerri-Onitsha Road hill, shortly after the Njaba Bridge.
Police spokesperson DSP Henry Okoye confirmed that the accident happened around 9 p.m. when a gas tanker, marked T 16716 LA and carrying a NUPENG inscription, was driving against traffic.
The tanker collided head-on with a commuter bus, marked ABB 79 BX, which was conveying the victims from Anambra State to Agwa Community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
While police confirmed 12 deaths including eight adults and four children the Chairman of Oguta LGA, Ifeanyi Nnani, claimed the toll stood at 15 victims, all from Agwa.
He described the incident as a “dark moment for the community.”
Okoye revealed that eight others sustained injuries and were rushed to Divine Hospital, Awo-Omamma for treatment.
The deceased were deposited at the Ogbaku Mortuary.
Okoye said police officers, alongside Federal Road Safety Corps personnel, promptly cleared the wreckage to restore free flow of traffic.
He assured residents that investigators are working to establish the cause of the crash and determine liability.
Imo Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, expressed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the recovery of the injured.
He warned motorists against reckless practices like driving against traffic, speeding, and negligence, stressing that such actions remain leading causes of fatal accidents in the statte.
Chairman Nnani confirmed that the victims were on their way home from the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Assembly Convention held in Uli, Anambra State.
He lamented the sudden loss, recalling that Agwa has suffered several painful tragedies in recent years.
“This is another dark day for Oguta and Agwa. We mourn as a people,” Nnani said through his aide, Desmond Orum.
He offered heartfelt prayers for the victims’ families, asking God to comfort and strengthen them during this period of grief.
The accident has reignited concerns about road safety in Imo and across Nigeria.
Community leaders and road users are calling for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, better monitoring of heavy-duty vehicles, and urgent improvements in highway safety measures to prevent further tragedies.
As families bury their loved ones, pressure mounts on authorities to ensure accountability and prevent a repeat of such devastating incidents.
