Motorist kills seven, injures 29 at Calabar Carnival

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has reported that a car lost control and slammed into a crowd of spectators on Tuesday at the Calabar Carnival, resulting in seven fatalities and 29 injuries.

Confirmation of the number of casualties was gotten from the Corps' Sector Commander, Maikano Hassan.

He said that the event took place during the Bikers Carnival activities, which is a component of the carnival, in front of the Jumat Mosque in Bogobiri, Calabar.

According to Mr. Hassan, there were 21 male adults, three females, two male children, and three female children among the injured.

He claimed that the injured were taken for medical care immediately to the naval hospital and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.

He claimed that the two hospitals in Calabar had received the deceased's body.

He claimed that during the carnival, a Toyota Camry vehicle lost control and slammed into a gathering of spectators.

According to NAN, the accident happened while Ben Ayade, the governor of Cross River State, was already seated with other guests. The incident abruptly put a halt to the day five festivities.

It should be noted that the yearly carnival, which was inaugurated under Donald Duke's presidency, has not occurred for the past two years.

The COVID-19 outbreak forced the suspension of the carnival in 2020. However, no explanation was offered as to why the carnival wouldn't take place in 2021.

According to NAN, preparations were still being made to set up a few facilities for the quick set up carnival in 2022.

Gov. Ayade has expressed sympathy to the families of those who died in the tragedy and pledged to prosecute the driver of the car that caused it.