No fewer than seven persons died Monday in a road crash involving a fuel tanker and two tricycles on the Calabar-Itu Expressway, Akwa Ibom State.

Many more sustained injuries, it was learnt.

The accident happened at a failed portion of the road in the Ntak Inyang area of Itu local council area.

The bad stretch has been under repairs since it was cut off by a landslide.

It was gathered from some eyewitnesses that the tricycles were conveying school children and some passengers before the unfortunate circumstance occurred.

According to them the driver and the passengers including school children died after the tank ran over the tricycle.

It was learnt that dual carriage way was under repairs, forcing all motorists to ply just one lane of the highway. Meanwhile, the Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the state, Mr. Oga Ochi confirmed the accident.

Ochi, however, said only 6 persons were killed in the accident. He said his men were immediately dispatched to the scene after receiving information about the crash.

He said the accident occurred because the truck was on excessive speed when it rammed into the tricycles.

He added that investigation into the incident was ongoing.

•Credit (excluding headline): The Nation.

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