The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the crash occurred around the Tonkere axis of the highway and was linked to excessive speed and dangerous driving.
Osun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Sunday Adebayo, confirmed the incident, noting that officials reached the scene approximately five minutes after receiving the distress call.
“Three people died. Altogether, we have about 20 others who were injured in the crash,” he said.
Adebayo disclosed that the three deceased victims comprised two women and a man, while the injured were 11 females and nine males. Three children, including two boys and a girl, were also involved in the accident.
“It was a head-on collision involving a Toyota Hiace and a car. The incident happened around Tonkere between Ife and Ilesha. We mobilised our patrol vehicles from Ilesha and Ife for the rescue operation,” Adebayo said.
Rescuers evacuated the injured to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife and the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital in Ife, where they received medical attention.
“Some of the survivors sustained minor injuries and were discharged,” he added.
The FRSC chief said the vehicles were recovered from the road and moved to the nearest police station, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to the morgue at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa.
He added that the affected portion of the highway had been cleared, restoring normal traffic movement.
Adebayo appealed to motorists to obey speed limits and avoid reckless manoeuvres, stressing that dangerous driving remained a major factor in fatal road crashes.
“Excessive speeding is killing. The accident happened due to over-speeding and dangerous driving,” he said.
According to him, observing lower speeds could significantly reduce the impact and number of fatalities in road accidents.
“If you go at a lower speed, if you have cause to be involved in a crash, the fatality will not be as much as what we saw this morning,” he said.
“Nigerians should respect other road users. They should have this shared responsibility that everybody has a right to use the road. The person who is safe on arrival is the person who knows how to drive,” he added.
