Two Muslim worshipers were, on Friday, killed, while scores of others sustained various degrees of injuries when a vehicle rammed into them during the Eid-el- Kabir prayer at Etokori praying ground in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
A policeman was also said to have been allegedly killed by a mob who wanted to lynch the driver of the ill-fated truck but were prevented by policemen at the scene of the incident.
The vehicle, a Bedford truck with number plate AA 523 JGB and laden with logs, reportedly had a brake failure, making the driver to lose control.
The Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the truck first hit a Toyota Tundra with number plate APP 995 DD, damaged it, before running over two children at the praying ground, killing them instantly.
Information is not readily available on the ages of the children.
Akinbiyi informed that scores of other Muslim faithful who had come out en-masse for the Eid prayer sustained various degrees of injuries.
A policeman was said to have died in the melee that followed the incident, while an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was among those who sustained injuries.
He said, “Our operatives said the truck ran over two children at the Etokori praying ground this morning, killing them instantly and injuring scores of others.
“An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was among those who sustained injuries. A policeman also died while being rushed to the hospital.”
A mob descended on the driver, but he was rescued by policemen at the venue.
However, one of the policemen, identified as Joseph Adejuwon, was mobbed to death in the process of trying to rescue the driver.
When contacted, Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, adding that the slain policeman was an orderly to a Divisional Police Officer.
Oyeyemi said the driver of the truck and two suspects among the mob had been arrested. He also confirmed that two persons died.
He said, “It is true that an accident occurred this morning at Ijebu Ode. The truck, laden with logs, had lost control after its brake failed and rammed into Muslim faithful going to perform Eid prayer in Ijebu Igbo, it killed two people.
“A mob had gathered and wanted to lynch the truck driver, but policemen on ground prevented them. However, they descended on our operatives and one of them was killed.
“We have the truck driver in our custody and two other suspects.”
Meanwhile, Akinbiyi said the bodies of the victims had been deposited in the mortuary at General Hospital, Ijebu Igbo, while the injured were also receiving treatment in the same hospital.
Source: Punchng.com
