This was revealed in a statement released in Uyo and provided to reporters on Sunday by Mr. Matthew Olonisaye, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Akwa Ibom.
Olonisaye blamed speeding for the collision and issued warnings to drivers in particular about speeding, driving the wrong way, and careless parking.
He reported that there were eleven men and five women involved in the collision, adding that two of the men and three of the women were confirmed dead while the other victims had varied degrees of injury.
"FRSC personnel mobilized and dispatched to the scene upon receiving reports of the event.
The deceased were taken to the morgue, while the injured were sent to local hospitals for immediate medical assistance upon arriving at the crash scene.
"When the reason of the crash was investigated, it was discovered that eyewitness reports linked speed to the collision.
"The road was cleared of the wreckage to enable free-flow of traffic after the victims were evacuated immediately," Olonisaye stated.
According to Olonisaye, the collision might have been prevented if the drivers had followed all traffic laws and safety precautions.
In order to prevent similar incidents in the future, he asked drivers to exercise utmost caution when driving throughout the holiday season.
To prevent such incidents of road carnage, the FRSC chief noted that the command has consistently educated and sensitized drivers to the importance of adopting a safe driving culture.
Olonisaye issued warnings to drivers about a variety of issues, including driving too fast, parking carelessly, dim lighting, driving at night, intoxication, and disregarding traffic laws.
The sector commander wished the injured a speedy recovery and offered his condolences to the families of the departed.
In order to ensure safe road usage and prevent loss of life and property on the highways, he commanded drivers to carefully follow traffic laws.