The Enugu State Ministry of Transport has dismissed reports circulating on some online platforms claiming that a road crash followed by a fire outbreak at the Ugwu Onyeama axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway killed more than 50 people.
The ministry described the reports as false, misleading and inconsistent with the actual situation on the corridor.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Odumegwu Chinwendu, the government said there was no such incident at the Ugwu Onyeama axis and urged members of the public not to rely on unverified reports capable of causing panic.
According to the statement, normal traffic movement continues on both sides of the expressway, with vehicles moving freely along the route.
The ministry said available information from officials monitoring the area confirmed that there had been no inferno, large-scale crash or disruption of traffic flow as alleged in the reports.
Ministry says viral images are not from Ugwu Onyeama
The ministry also faulted the photographs being circulated alongside the reports, saying the images do not show the Ugwu Onyeama section of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
According to the statement, the viral images show visible clusters of residential buildings positioned close to the road.
It explained that this physical feature does not correspond with the actual Ugwu Onyeama corridor, where there are no residential structures directly adjoining the highway in the manner shown in the circulating images.
The ministry said the discrepancy further confirms that the photographs were wrongly linked to the expressway and should not be taken as evidence of any recent incident on the route.
Ugwu Onyeama has history of accidents, but conditions have improved
While denying the reported inferno, the ministry acknowledged that the Ugwu Onyeama axis has historically been regarded as one of the most dangerous sections of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
For several years, the corridor was associated with frequent road crashes, many of them fatal, largely due to the deteriorated state of the road.
The statement noted that commuters, transport operators and residents had repeatedly raised concerns over the safety condition of the route because of the risks posed by damaged road surfaces, difficult driving conditions and traffic-related hazards.
However, the ministry said major infrastructure interventions undertaken by the administration of President Bola Tinubu have significantly improved safety and traffic conditions on the corridor.
According to the government, the reconstruction of major sections of the Enugu-Onitsha carriageway using concrete pavement technology has brought considerable relief to road users.
It added that work is also ongoing on the opposite lane, which is expected to further improve road stability, traffic flow and driving conditions.
Security and traffic patrols credited for reduced accidents
The ministry also said coordinated traffic control and safety patrol operations have remained active along the corridor.
It explained that joint operations involving the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Enugu State Ministry of Transport have continued to monitor vehicular movement and enforce safety compliance on the road.
According to the statement, these coordinated interventions have contributed significantly to the reduction in accidents recorded on the axis over the past several months.
The ministry added that with the progressive reopening and use of reconstructed sections of the carriageway, particularly the opposite lane, dangerous driving practices that previously contributed to crashes are expected to reduce further.
It specifically identified one-way driving, wrongful overtaking and reckless lane usage as some of the major causes of past accidents on the route.
Public urged to ignore false reports
The ministry appealed to the public and motorists to disregard the false reports currently in circulation.
It urged road users to continue cooperating with traffic and safety authorities by obeying speed regulations, using designated lanes responsibly and following traffic directives along the expressway.
According to the statement, responsible road use, improved infrastructure and sustained enforcement remain critical to maintaining safer travel conditions along the Ugwu Onyeama section of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
