The crash on the Abuja-Keffi road occurred on 22 December at about 10 a.m.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says no life was lost in the viral media reports about the crash that occurred on the Abuja-Keffi expressway.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM) Bisi Kazeem, in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the crash occurred on 22 December at about 10 a.m. Some reports stated that several lives were lost and attributed the cause of the mishap to FRSC patrol operatives.
Mr Kazeem, who applauded the media for their watchdog roles, however, said it was important to explain the sensitive issue to avoid misrepresentation of facts and purveyance of misinformation.
"To begin with, against the media reports, claiming that several people were killed as a result of the crash, the Corps wishes to categorically state that no single motorist lost his or her life in the crash.
"Six motorists who sustained minor bruises were treated and discharged immediately at Federal Medical Centre, Keffi.
"The fact of the matter is that the operatives of the Corps were carrying out their legitimate duty with a Mobile Court operation on the said date, just before the Military checkpoint, on the Abuja-Keffi expressway when the crash occurred.
"Unlike what was reported in the media, this gridlock was occasioned by motorists who out of fear of being apprehended, and tried in the Court, decided to park far from the scene of the Mobile Court," he said.
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According to him, it was amidst the indiscriminate parking that a truck approaching the point, had break failure and hit a luxurious bus which also ran into two other stationary vehicles, parked on the shoulder of the road.
"Immediately the operatives got the news of the crash, rescue teams were speedily deployed for rescue operations.
"It was at the point of the rescue that the villagers and other passersby, who were not in tune with the cause of the crash; rather than give a helping hand to the team on the rescue mission, decided to unleash mayhem on some of the personnel.
"This was done with sticks and other weapons, leading to severe injuries on the personnel.
"It took the intervention of the men of Nigeria Police Force and the Military to disperse the mob and stop them from continuing the attack," he said.
Mr Kazeem cautioned the public against wanton mob attacks on FRSC personnel, while advising the media to, for the sake of objective reportage, always seek clarity, by verifying their news before they go into publications.
(NAN)
