No fewer than 28 wedding guests were confirmed dead over the weekend in separate road and boat accidents in Enugu State and Kebbi State.
The incidents occurred as the victims were either returning home from wedding ceremonies or escorting a bride to her husband’s residence.
According to reports, guests from Umuahia in Abia State were travelling back from a traditional marriage and wedding ceremony in Enugu on Saturday night when the coaster bus conveying them collided head-on with a trailer along the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway.
The crash occurred around 6 p.m. near the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, close to the popular 4-Corner Junction in Ozalla.
Fourteen passengers reportedly died instantly, while others later succumbed to their injuries in hospital.
Most of the deceased were traders dealing in foodstuffs at Bonny Street, by Owerri Road, near Isi Gate in Umuahia.
The groom, MacDonald Okechukwu, an indigene of Orlu, was said to be among the traders in the area. His wife is from Amagunze in Nkanu, Enugu State, where the ceremonies were held.
Chairman of the Bonny Street Traders Association, James Edeh, described the crash as horrific.
“We evacuated 12 bodies, including eight traders, two kinsmen of the groom, and two other guests,” Edeh said.
In a separate incident in Kebbi State, 14 more wedding guests died after a boat capsized in Gumbi village, Gumbi Ward of Yauri Local Government Area.
The victims had accompanied a bride to her husband’s home in Gwarzo village, Ngaski LGA, and were reportedly returning when the overloaded boat overturned, throwing more than 100 passengers into the water.
Thirteen women and one child were said to have lost their lives in the accident.
Governor Nasir Idris was represented at the funeral prayer by the Chairman of Yauri LGA, Abubakar Shu’aibu.
The governor condoled with the families of the deceased and the people of Yauri, urging them to accept the tragedy in good faith.
“I appeal to you to accept this in good faith, bearing in mind that nothing happens without the knowledge of our Creator,” he was quoted as saying.