No less than nine persons, including the parents and siblings of a newly married groom, died in an auto crash on Saturday while returning from the wedding, according to Daily Trust.

The accident, it was gathered, occurred at the tollgate along Glory Land drive in the Igbogene axis of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The deceased persons were returning to their base in the Sagbama Local Government Area of the state after the wedding ceremony when the unfortunate incident happened, Daily Trust reports.

The bus which the deceased passengers boarded collided with an upcoming vehicle returning from Warri in Delta State.

The vehicles were reportedly trying to divert to the East-West Road when the unfortunate incident happened, according to witnesses.

The cause of the accident might be connected with the deplorable state of that axis of the East-West Road, a witness said.

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at the scene of the incident said they had taken four persons who sustained injuries to a hospital in Yenagoa, but one later died.

He said the agency would come out with an official statement at the end of the operation since an investigation was still ongoing.

Police Public Relations Officer in Bayelsa, Asinim Butswat, said the Command had commenced investigation into the incident.

He said, “The unfortunate accident occurred on Saturday, 4th December 2021 at about 1700hours, along the Glory Land drive, Igbogene, involving a Toyota Hiace Bus with Reg No. AKL 652 YP and a Toyota Forerunner Jeep with Reg No. KMK 923 AA.

“Sketch marks of the scene were taken, the cars were also evacuated to the Igbogene Division for further inspection.

“The corpses of the victims were deposited at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri while the injured passengers are responding to treatment at the same facility.”