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Bus crushes four to death in Lagos, Ondo

By Kehinde Olatunji
11 December 2019   |   3:10 am
No fewer than three persons have lost their lives in a road accident, which occurred in Erusu Akoko, in the Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State

No fewer than three persons have lost their lives in a road accident, which occurred in Erusu Akoko, in the Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State. It was gathered that the victims, simply identified as Mubarak, Abu and Pastor, were on a motorcycle when they were knocked down by a bus, on their way to Gedegede community.

The Ikare Akoko Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Yinka Akande, yesterday confirmed the incident, saying the accident was caused as a result of recklessness on the part of the driver of the bus, who fled the scene of the accident. He said, “This is why we have been campaigning against reckless driving and night journey.”

A source in the community said the driver of the bus fled the scene while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the mortuary of the Ondo State Specialists Hospital, Ikare Akoko. The source said, “The driver drove recklessly and didn’t put on the headlamps. He hit the three people who were on a motorcycle and ran away.”

The traditional ruler of Gedegede community, Oba Walidu Sanni, in a reaction, condemned the recklessness of motorists on the road, saying no fewer than five persons have died on the road, in the last one month, as a result of fatal road accidents. The monarch appealed to government to, as a matter of urgency build speed bumps on the road particularly in the township, to forestall incessant crashes.

In a related development, tragedy occurred in the early hours yesterday in Lagos when a commercial bus driver popularly called “Danfo” crushed another commercial motorcyclist, called ‘Okoda” rider to death.

According to an eyewitness, the tragic incident happened at about 10.45 am at Fin Niger Bus Stop, along the construction corridor of Lagos Badagry Expressway.

The rider, a middle-aged man, reportedly, died on the spot, while the “Danfo” driver and passengers sustained minor injuries.

Policemen of the state Police Command who raced to the scene in their patrol van were prevented from removing the corpse by other Okoda riders who are mainly of northern extraction.

They (Okoda riders) insisted on taking away the corpse for burial according to Islamic rites.

Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Abia Command yesterday revealed that 25 persons lost their lives and 326 injured in 71 auto crashes recorded from January to November.

The FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Meshach Jatau, made the disclosure at the “Ember Months” Road Safety Campaign Rally at Umuahia.

Jatau said that the event marked the climax in a series of sensitisation to remind motorists on the need to drive carefully and obey all traffic rules and regulations.

In his remarks, Osadeba Osadebamwen, the FRSC Zonal Commander, Zone 9 Enugu, urged road users to always ensure a stable state of mind while driving to avoid crashes.

Osadebamwen spoke on “Road Safety is a State of the Mind, Road Traffic Crash is Absence of Mind, Stay Alert, Stay Alive.”

He noted that absence of mind and due alertness, among others resulted in traffic crashes with attendant unpalatable consequences.

“There is nothing like an accident on the road. It is absent-mindedness that leads to a crash. Don’t leave anything to chance. It depends on you to be saved on the road and for others to be saved too,’’ the zonal commander said.

In a message to the event, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia commended FRSC for organising the programme.

Ikpeazu, who was represented by his Deputy, Ude Oko Chukwu, expressed worry over the number of crashes on the roads, adding that over 90 per cent of those crashes were as a result of human elements.

He appealed to drivers to avoid those things that could cause road accidents.

“I wish to tell our drivers that there is nothing special about ‘Ember Month’, no demon associated with it. It is our action that is responsible for the accidents,’’ he said.

The governor also appealed to FRSC and other security agencies to help the state and the nation in minimising the level of mortality on the roads.

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