No fewer than eight persons were reportedly killed in auto crashes in Anambra, Lagos and Ogun states, while about 12 persons sustained varying degrees of injury.
In the Anambra incident, which occurred on Awor Road, Oraifite village, in the Ekwusigo Local Government Area of the state, a man identified as Chinedu Nwannem, his two children and two sisters-in-law were killed by a speeding convoy.
While two persons lost their lives and seven others were injured in a head-on collision at the Odogbolu Junction, along the Ijebu Ode-Benin Expressway, Ogun State on Sunday, a bus conductor died in the Lagos multiple crashes which happened on Isolo-Oshodi Road on the same day.
A Facebook user, Francisca Odina, who shared the news of the family’s death on her wall, said the convoy fled the scene after the incident, which happened around 9pm on Thursday.
She wrote, “They were knocked down by a convoy on high speed. The owner of the convoy is yet to be identified. Five people died on the spot–the man (Nwannem), his two sisters-in-law and two children.
“Why would people drive at such a speed in a village? Why didn’t those people stop to help them when they knocked them down? May their souls rest in peace.”
A relative of the deceased, Chinonso Julius, also lamented the incident on Facebook, describing Nwannem as a peacemaker, a devout Christian, and a kind-hearted person.
“Chinedu Nwannem, rest in peace…. God knows the truth; we love you… Our hero, a peacemaker in my family; a man that can give all he has for the growth of his brothers and sisters; a man who trained and fed the family when we were nobody in the eye of people; a man, who made our family not to know the cost of rice, beans, wheat and groundnut oil since I was small still now.
“(You were) a man who led us to Christ with our mummy; a man of peace. Sleep well my hero; our founder; our joy; our happiness; our star.”
The Sector Commander, Anambra Federal Road Safety Corps, Ajayi Sunday, confirmed the incident, adding that the crash happened around 8.45pm.
“Two persons were confirmed dead while seven others were injured in another auto crash involving two cars along the Ijebu Ode-Benin Expressway.
The two cars were said to be travelling to Ijebu Ode from the Sagamu end of Ogun State when the incident occurred.
The vehicles were a Volvo car, with number plate, SMK 275 CG, and a Toyota Sienna, with number plate, KRD 80 CL.
The Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the driver of the Volvo was trying to overtake the Toyota Sienna, when he hit the Sienna and the two cars veered into a bush.
He said, “We got a report from our operatives on Sunday around 11.33am that an auto crash occurred close to Odogbolu junction along the Ijebu Ode-Benin Expressway.
Two people died in the accident, while seven others were injured.”
Akinbiyi said the remains of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, while the injured were taken to the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State.
In the Lagos incident, the bus conductor lost his life in the multiple crashes involving the bus, two trucks and a van on the Oshodi-Isolo Road.
It was learnt that a policeman, who was controlling traffic after the first crash, was knocked down by another vehicle. He reportedly broke his leg.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the policeman and his colleagues, who came from the Ilasamaja Police Division, joined other emergency officials at the scene around 4am.
At the time, a truck, loaded with gravel, had collided with the van, which was loaded with jerrycans of vegetable oil.
The drivers of the two vehicles were said to have sustained injuries while their motor boys were trapped in the wreckage.
An emergency worker said, “The first accident occurred around 3am between a vehicle fully loaded with vegetable oil and a truck carrying gravel. The truck was at top speed. It rammed into the vehicle carrying vegetable oil from the rear and fell.
“The two drivers were seriously injured and the two motor boys were trapped inside the truck. With the help of policemen and officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, they were rescued after one hour. LASAMBUS took them to a hospital.
“While we were trying to control vehicles on the road, another speeding truck rammed into a yellow bus. The yellow bus somersaulted and the conductor died on the spot. Many passengers on the bus sustained serious injuries. The leg of a policeman was also broken. The driver did not obey the traffic signal from policemen.”
The official added that the truck driver had been arrested.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, who confirmed the incident, said investigation had commenced.
He said, “One person died in the accident and several persons, including a policeman, were injured.
“All the wreckage has been evacuated and the road is now free for road users, while investigation is ongoing.”
Source: Punchng.com
