Tragedy struck the Calabar metropolis as a Toyota Camry car lost control and rammed into the crowd, killing over 15 people with several others injured during the Bikers’ Carnival yesterday, in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
The Bikers/Exotic Cars Parade is part of the events leading to the Calabar Carnival.
A witness said shortly after the bikers’ parade was flagged off about 5pm, one of the Camry cars on the parade, sped off from Eleven-Eleven Round-About, along Calabar Road, heading to Mary Slessor, one of the adjudication points, lost control and rammed into the crowd around the Central Mosque at Bogobiri and killed about five people on the spot.
The witness further said after about 20 minutes after the incident, another five gave up the ghost, others died on the way to the hospital while a few died at various hospitals they were rushed to.
He said those affected were some members of the Hausa community, passers-by and shop owners who came for one business or the other around the Bogobiri axis.
The witness said the incident created pandemonium as people ran helter-skelter for safety, following the reactions of the Hausa community whose people were mostly affected.
It was gathered that the victims were rushed to Navy Reference Hospital in Calabar, leading to the abrupt end of the event.
Following the unfortunate incident, some aggrieved residents of the Bogobiri community were involved in a fracas, forcing law enforcement agencies to use tear gas to disperse the angry crowd.
Some eyewitnesses blamed the accident on poor crowd control.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), late Tuesday, confirmed that seven persons have so far died while 29 others were injured in the tragic incident.
The Sector Commander of the Corps, Maikano Hassan who confirmed the incident said only seven persons have so far died.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has expressed sadness over the incident.
Ayade, according to a statement by his media aide, Christian Ita, said he is devastated by the development.
He equally directed security agencies to arrest the motorist who is on the run.
While sympathising with the victims of the accident and their families, the governor ordered an immediate investigation to unravel how the motorist was able to get through security barricades to have access to the routes which were closed to the public.
He also directed the immediate discontinuation of the Bikers’ parade in honour of the victims. Governor Ayade, however, called for calm, promising to ensure the culprit is arrested and brought to book.
