Five die in Ogbomoso-Ilorin auto crash

Tragedy struck yesterday along Ogbomoso-Ilorin highway as five persons were feared dead with many others injured in an auto crash involving two vehicles.

According to eyewitnesses, the crash occurred at exactly 3:47p.m. as a result of dangerous overtaking by an Ilorin-bound vehicle. An eyewitness, Mr. Ade Akanmu, said four persons died on the spot while the last person died before getting to the hospital.

Akanmu said: “It was a gory sight. Two vehicles were involved, one is a Mitsubishi Lancer marked OYO GBY 322AA and another car with registration number OYO RUW 135 XA. The accident, which occurred at Ladokun in Surulere North LCDA, Oyo State, happened when an Ilorin-bound passenger vehicle collided with another vehicle on the opposite side of the road.

“In all, five persons, three men and two women, died on the spot. Several others suffered varying degrees of injuries. We rescued the victims by cutting parts of the vehicles with an axe.”One of the passengers who lost their lives in the accident was identified as Chief Alaaga by some sympathisers at the scene. It was gathered that the late Alaaga was coming from a meeting when he met his death.

When contacted on the telephone, the Oyo State Command of Federal Road Safety Corps said it was yet to receive any signal on the accident. However, an FRSC official in Ogbomoso Zone, who confirmed the incident, said some men had been dispatched to the scene of the crash.

Nonetheless, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident.Fadeyi said: “It is true. It happened along old Ogbomoso-Ilorin road. It was a head-on collision. Four male persons died there. One female died later. Three are recuperating in hospital. Police officers are there. We are on top of the situation”.

Meanwhile, tragedy averted as petrol tanker crashes on Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The FRSC, Ogun Command, on Wednesday, said a tanker laden with 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) crashed around RCCG Car Park C, near Mowe, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Clement Oladele, Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, in Ota, Ogun, said that the accident happened at about 4.48a.m. Oladele explained that the tanker, with registration number LFA 106 ZX, laden with petroleum product, lost control due to speeding around RCCG Car Park C, near Mowe and crashed into the road barriers on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.The sector commander said that two males were involved in the accident, adding however that no life was lost and that nobody sustained injury.