The death toll from a bus accident in Benin has risen to over 30 after a Nigerien bus plunged into the Oueme River in Thio, in the commune of Glazoue, on the night of August 16-17, 2025.
According to a statement from the High Council of Nigeriens in Benin (HCNB) issued on August 20, “more than 30 bodies were recovered and buried in the Save cemetery yesterday, Tuesday, August 19, 2025, in strict accordance with Muslim tradition.”
The Beninese government’s initial report on Monday, August 18, had stated that only one body was recovered, but the number has increased considerably as recovery operations have progressed. On Monday evening, the director of the Beninese Civil Protection Agency (ABPC), Abdel Aziz Bio Djibril, reported a death toll of 27 with nine survivors.
The bus, which belonged to the Nigerien company STM, was carrying 54 passengers on a trip from Lomé, Togo, to Niamey, Niger. It struck a bridge railing before falling into the Oueme River.
Following the accident, the ORSEC (emergency) plan was immediately activated under the instructions of the Beninese president, mobilizing emergency, security, and health services. Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seïdou and other officials traveled to the scene to oversee the operations.
The nine survivors who were hospitalized at the Save district hospital are in stable condition. The body of a Togolese national was also returned to his family and repatriated to Togo.
The HCNB commended the “exemplary solidarity and commitment of the Beninese government, emergency services, local communities, and religious leaders who have provided support to the bereaved families.” The organization expressed its condolences to the affected families and reaffirmed its readiness to support the victims and their loved ones.
The Beninese government reminded transport companies and drivers to “scrupulously observe the highway code and increase vigilance in order to limit the risk of traffic accidents.”
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA