Two persons lost their lives while 17 others sustained various degrees of injuries after a trailer crashed at an army checkpoint in Abaji, along the Abuja-Lokoja road.

A witness said the accident which occurred around 1:23 am on Saturday, involved a trailer loaded with cement, which veered off and crashed near the checkpoint.

He said the driver was coming from the Lokoja axis with some passengers seated on top of the cement when he lost control and crashed into a concrete barricade mounted by the soldiers, which forced the trailer to tumble.

He said one person died on the spot while one other was trapped inside the cement, adding that their corpses were taken to Abaji general hospital's morgue.

He said, "It was one person that died immediately when the trailer hit the pavement and crashed at the checkpoint, while the corpse of the other one was later found inside the cement."

An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who was part of the rescue operation but preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident.

He said a total of 22 people were involved in the accident, two lost their lives and 17 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

He said some of the injured victims were taken to Abaji general hospital and Ayaura primary health center along Agyana road.

"But the corpses of the two dead bodies have been deposited at Abaji general hospital' morgue," he added.