Nine persons lost their lives in an auto crash which occurred between Saturday and Sunday on the Ibadan-Iseyin highway.

Spokesman of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Oyo State, Paul Okoduwa, confirmed the figure on Sunday.

He said that 25 persons were involved in the crash which was caused by over speeding by two commercial vehicles.

Mr Okoduwa said six males and three females died, while nine males and six females sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Only one occupant did not sustain any injury, he said.

He said the buses were a Mazda with registration number YRE 124 XA and a Toyota Hiace with registration number BDJ 400 YK.

He added that the dead had been deposited in a mortuary at a private hospital while those who sustained injuries were being treated at Our Lady Hospital, Iseyin.

Mr Okoduwa warned motorists to obey all traffic rules and drive within approved speed limits.

Meanwhile, the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdganiy Adekunle, called on motorists to value human lives and exercise patience while driving.

He made the call while mourning the victims of the auto crash.

The Iseyin Development Union called on the Oyo state government to erect speed breakers and necessary road signs at the Iseyin end of the Iseyin-Ibadan expressway to forestall further loss of lives.

Its president, Bayo Raji, said that the call became imperative as many lives and properties had been lost to road carnage on the newly-reconstructed 76-kilometre road.

“Areas that have villages or markets where human and vehicular movements are always present and have sharp bends need speed breakers to compel motorists to reduce their speed.

“We appeal to the government to please call the contractor that constructed the road to put speed breakers at critical points.

“The Serafu market, the Kilometre Two Cattle Market, some villages where activities are high, as well as the junction at the Iseyin Muslim Burial Ground, need road signs.

“We believe that as the speed breakers have worked in reducing the speed of motorists at the Ibadan end of this road, the same sanity will prevail at the Iseyin end as well and we shall not witness such waste of lives anymore,” he stated.

Mr Raji also called on the leadership of the Park Management System in the state to caution commercial drivers, especially as the year runs to an end.