AT LEAST 7 PERSONS CONFIRMED DEAD AS CALABAR CARNIVAL TURNS BLOODY

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At least 7 persons were feared killed and several others injured when a car rammed into onlookers watching the Calabar Carnival today in Calabar, Cross River State.

The incident occured during the Bikers’ Parade, a feature of the carnival.

Witnesses said shortly after the Bikers’ parade was flagged off at about 5:00pm, one of the Toyota Camry cars on the parade, sped off from Eleven-Eleven Round-About along bCalabar Road heading to Mary Slessor, one of the adjucation points, and lost control and rammed into the crowd around the Central Mosque at Bogobiri. It was learnt that about 5 persons died on the spot.

A witness also said that after about 20 minutes of the crash, another set of two victims gave up the ghost while others died on the way to the hospital and a few died at various hospitals they were rushed to.

Bodies of the victims have been evacuated while the injured persons are currently receiving treatment in several hospitals.

Security personnel have cardoned off the Mary Slessor -Bogobiri axis to forestall breakdown of law and order with the Carnival ending abruptly.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Cross River, Maikano Hassan, confirmed that the incident ocurred when the driver of a camry car lost control and rammed into the crowd of onlookers.

Hassan, who could not give the figure of casualty, said that victims of the incident have all been evacuated to hospitals.