No fewer than sixteen people were burnt to death on Sunday in a fatal accident in Ife-Ife, Osun State, when an 18-seater passenger Totoya Hiase bus lost control and collided with a diesel laden tanker.
According to eye witness account, the accident that happened around 12 noon occured when the driver of the ill-fated bus, who reportedly was on top speed rammed into the tanker, making a u-turn along Ibadan road.
The bus marked (LAGOS) MUS 702 XH caught fire on the spot and trapped its occupants, who reportedly made frantic effort to escape to no avail.
The bus was said to be coming from Ore in Ondo State and heading to Ibadan when the incident occured.
Our correspondent, who was at the scene of the crash, counted thirteen bodies of the victims, including three children, lying on bare floor infront of a filling station, the Energy Petrol Station, apart from three already evacutaed by the medical team from the Seventh Day Adventist for inmediate attention.
Sympathizers attempted to assist the victims before the arrival of the men Fire Service at the scene.
Two eye witneses, Oladele Mutiu and Gbenga Oluwole, who narrated the gory scene, said axes were used to help out the victims, who they said were pressed down by heavy loads and used vehicles’ engines.
The eye witnesses linked the crash to over speeding by the driver of the bus.
Tag: Accident
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16 burnt to death in Ife accident
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Was it murder or an accident?
A 300-Level Pharmacy student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Uche Rickson Esegine, is being detained with a pastor and three others at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Edo State Police Command over the death of an admission seeker, Lucky Chukwuka. An autopsy allegedly revealed that Chukwuka was murdered. But, the suspects denied the allegation, saying he bled to death. EZEKIEL EFEOBHOKHAN (600-Level Pharmacy) reports.
What killed Lucky Chukwuka? This is the puzzle the homicide division of Edo State Police Command is trying to unravel. Chukwuka died on July 2, after he returned home from a regional prayer vigil organised by the Sapele Road branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Benin City, the state capital.
Chukwuka, an admission seeker, allegedly died in a bus conveying him and fellow RCCG members back to Benin City, shortly after they left the vigil. Five people, including a pastor and the bus driver, are in police custody over the matter.
An autopsy report by the police allegedly indicated that the deceased may have been murdered, but the suspects denied having hand in his death.
After the vigil, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the officiating pastor pleaded with church members, who came with vehicles, to help others who did not have any means of returning home. The late Chukwuka hopped into the bus, which was going to Benin City. It was gathered that the bus was full before it left the vigil’s venue.
CAMPUSLIFE gathered that an accident was averted when the bus almost collided with a trailer coming from the opposite direction. Although the passengers panicked, they suspected nothing, until the late Chukwuka’s blood-stained phone was found on the floor of the bus.
It was gathered that the late Chukwuka was found bleeding from the head, prompting the driver and other church members to rush him to the Central Hospital in Benin City, where he was rejected. He was then taken to the UNIBEN Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where he was pronounced dead.
His distraught parents filed a complaint at BDPA Police Station, which led to the detention of the suspects. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that they were moved to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), following the autopsy report.
One of the suspects, Uche Rickson Esegine, a 300-Level Pharmacy student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), said he knew nothing about Chukwuka’s death when he spoke to CAMPUSLIFE before he was moved to CID.
Uche said nobody in the bus knew the deceased was bleeding until his blood-stained phone was found on the floor. He wondered how the police came about the murder story when efforts were made to save Chukwuka’s life.
“If truly the deceased was murdered, why did we have to take him to two hospitals in an effort to save his life?” Uche asked.
Explaining how the accident happened, Uche said after the vigil, he joined four other church members in their chartered bus to return to town. Before departure, he said some faithful appealed to them for a ride, which they obliged.
“As Christians, we believed it was good to help our fellow Christians. Our bus was filled up as we left the camp. I was so tired and sleepy. Some minutes into the journey back to Benin City, I dozed off. The scream by other passengers woke me up when our bus was almost hit by a trailer. We were all frightened by that experience. After a while, we heard someone from the back seat shouting ‘blood…blood’.
“We discovered Chukwuka, who was sitting at the extreme right of the back seat, had an injury on his head. He was bleeding profusely. His phone was stained by the blood. We alerted the driver, who made a diversion to the hospital. He was rejected at the Central Hospital, after which we rushed him to UBTH where he died.”
Uche’s explanation did not convince the bereaved parents, who suspected foul play in the death of their son. It was learnt that the parents urged the police to investigate the circumstances of their son’s death.
Uche’s collegues are worried by his continued detention. They have threatened to stage a protest against the police and the school. The students said they would march on the Police Command if Uche was not released before his third-year professional examination, which started last Monday. His colleagues threatened to boycott the examination.
The Students’ Union Government (SUG) leadership, however, waded into the matter, urging students not to embark on the planned protest. The union president, Elvis Osemudiamen, promised to meet with the school management and police authorities on the matter.
Briefing the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Faraday Orumwense, Elvis urged the school to wade into the matter, noting that Uche should be allowed to write his exams while police continued. The management promised to do what it could to get Uche back in school for his exams. The VC promised students that the school’s legal team would be informed about the matter.
The SUG leaders also visited the police command to meet with the commissioner. Elvis urged the police to make their investigation open.
The commissioner reportedly told the union leaders: “Litigation is the next step. Only the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the court have jurisdiction to dismiss, discharge or acquit a murder suspect.”
The Deputy Speaker of the union, Philip Omoaregba, described the matter as “dicey”, urging students to remain calm.
He said: “We have spoken with Uche and he is traumatised. He is still in shock. This case is dicey, because there is evidence in support and against. But, we are curious as to why the police only detained five persons of all the people in the bus. It is unfortunate Uche found himself in this mess.”
A 600-Level Pharmacy student, Anthony Ehimare, urged students not to disrupt the examination, saying: “Due process is being followed to get Uche out of detention.”
Another student, who asked not be named, said “We must stop being emotional. We should also think about the trauma of the bereaved family. They are grieving over their son. What they did was simply report to the police. Uche was only found at the wrong place at the wrong time. May God help him.”
It is not clear whether the police have concluded plans to charge the case to court, but the continued detention of the suspects is raising dust.
Students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, urged the police to “thoroughly investigate” the circumstances leading to Chukwuka’s death, but their poser to the police is: “If suspects committed the murder, why would they try to save the life of the victim by taking him to two hospitals?
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I didn’t go into politics by accident, says Jim Iyke
After his recent visit to ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, at the presidential hilltop Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nollywood actor Jim Iyke who is presently in Nigeria for his political ambition under Young Democratic Party (YDP), has stated that he did not get into politics by accident.
The actor explained this because some people felt that his visit was based on self agenda,
“I read many comments on the wake of YDP’s meeting with H.E OBJ,” said Jim Iyke.
“My job description as DG entails to broker platforms to engage diverse personalities with stakes in Nigeria leadership. I am a messenger and conduit. The dissemination and pulse of our dream must be conveyed inconsequential of the sect or platform of interest.
“I endeavour to create a seamless conservation between the establishment and our ideals and vision. There’s a fine line between perception and reality. We must not allow fear and paranoia be our perception. This is what brought us to the bottomless void; voiceless, formless. Their time is in recess. Even heaven knows it!
“Their gimmicks have long grown obsolete and redundant. Instead of standing against each other let us stand for one another. It is our greatest weapon against the status quo. The reality is what we bear as a mandate and vision. We stand for a new frontier and dispensation. The greatest disservice will be not to measure the depth of our hindsight in order to understand the challenges ahead of us. Proxy doesn’t entail association. Many students of history and leaders of thoughts will be unbiased by my argument. I am driven my passion and conviction. It’s all that has driven the propensity and pace of my pursuits.
He continued, saying, that on leaving Atlanta to Nigeria, “My party asked me with superior reasons to leave the comfort of my home in Atlanta and serve. I obeyed. I don’t intend to regret it or sell out. My horizon is higher than immediate gain. YDP is the vehicle. The members and aspirants the driver. You, my people, the engine. One cannot do without the other. It’s collective, unanimous, and unequivocal. We shall arrive without mishaps. This is not an accident. It is God’s engineering. It’s time for sober introspection. The wills and caprices of politics must be in full practice in order to prevail. Every tool at our disposal must be utilized. A student soon becomes a tutor with the right will and gifts.”
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Edo accident death toll rises to 7
The death toll recorded in the accident at Ewu hill on the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi highway on Saturday has risen to seven.
Five persons were reported to have died on the spot and two others were confirmed dead at the hospital they were rushed to.
Edo State Sector Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Samuel Odukoya, who confirmed the figure to our reporter, said 38 persons were involved in the accident.
Odukoya said 10 persons were injured in the accident and attributed the accident to wrong overtaking.
The Edo FRSC boss called on motorists to always exercise caution on the road by obey traffic rules and desist from over speeding.
Six vehicles, including two trucks and four vehicle were involved in the accident.
The two trucks had a head -on collision while other vehicles rammed into them.
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Ewu accident death toll now 7
The death toll recorded in the accident at Ewu hill along the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi highway on Saturday has risen to seven.
Five persons were reported to have died on the spot and two others were confirmed dead at the hospital they were rushed to.
Edo State Sector Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Samuel Odukoya, who confirmed the figure to our reporter said 38 persons were involved in the accident.
Odukoya said 10 persons were injured in the accident which he attributed to wrong overtaking.
The Edo FRSC boss called on motorists to always exercise caution on the road by obey traffic rules and desist from over speeding.
Six vehicles, including two trucks and four vehicle were involved in the accident.
The two trucks had a head -on collision while other vehicles rammed into them.
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Car somersaults as break fails in Lagos (PHOTOS)
A lone driver on Saturday ram into street light at PWD bus stop, along the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, with the car rolling over.
According to officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management (LASTMA), the driver, a lone survival in the Hyundai Accent was rescued alive.
“The accident was caused by break failure,” LASTMA said.
Photos:
Scene of the accident. Photo by LASTMA on twitter 
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Amosun escapes death as CBN bullion vans ram into his convoy
Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Thursday had a firsthand experience of the reckless driving by drivers of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) bullion vans as a convoy of CBN bullion vans rammed into his convoy, escaping unscathed narrowly.
Amosun was travelling to Lagos for an official assignment after receiving the Southern Governors Wives Forum earlier, when the incident occurred at the Ibafo (Ogun State) stretch of the Lagos – Ibadan expressway.
The CBN convoy damaged the escort vehicle in the governor’s convoy.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Adejuwon Soyinka, who said Amosun escaped unhurt, added that the latest case was not the first time he would have unpleasant encounter with the CBN’s reckless bullion vans drivers.
“Governor Ibikunle Amosun, on Thursday, narrowly escaped unhurt when a convoy of bullion vans belonging to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN rammed into his convoy on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“The incident occurred around Ibafo, while the Governor was traveling to Lagos for an official assignment and the CBN convoy damaged the escort vehicle in the governor’s convoy.
“The CBN convoy, driving dangerously, attempted to overtake the governor’s convoy without regards for the safety of other road users.
“On sensing danger, the Ogun Governor’s escort commander used a public address system mounted on his vehicle to warn the CBN convoy to desist from such reckless driving.
“Not only was the Governor’s escort commander ignored, the CBN convoy drivers went ahead to crush his vehicle and subsequently went after other vehicles in the Governor’s convoy, including the Governor’s official car, before they were brought to a halt by the security team attached to the Governor,” Adejuwon said.
According to him, the Thursday incident was not the first time the Governor would have cause to personally caution reckless CBN convoy drivers in Ogun State.
He said Amosun had in the past personally turned back reckless CBN bullion van drivers who often drive against traffic with impunity on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
Also reacting, the Governor described it as “lawlessness and the height of impunity” on the part of CBN bullion vans drivers.
Amosun warned that such acts of impunity will not be tolerated again within the borders of Ogun State.
“If this could happen to a governor within his territory, you can imagine what they would do to our citizens who are simply going about their legitimate business.
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Update on Ibadan accident: Police confirm 26 dead, 11 injured
The Oyo State Police Command said that 26 people died in the early Saturday morning ghastly motor accident, which occurred at the Ibadan end of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Kunle Ajisebutu confirmed the accident and said that11 others including three children sustained severe injuries.
Ajisebutu said that eyewitnesses reported that two commercial buses had a head-on-collision with the vehicles immediately bursting into flames claiming 26 lives.
“Corpses of the dead have been deposited at Adeoyo General Hospital, Yemetu, while the injured were taken to the Ibadan Central Hospital, and the University College Hospital, (UCH) Ibadan for medical attention.
“Police investigation has begun.
“The victims were evacuated by a combined team of police men from the Toll Gate Police Division and men of the FRSC.
“The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude visited the scene immediately,” he said.
Mr Deji Bobade, the Public Relations Officer of the UCH, confirmed that a male accident victim was admitted at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital at about 7. 30 am. (NAN)
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Aba: One dies in ghastly motor accident
Residents of Aba were on Monday thrown into tears as a ghastly motor accident which occurred along the ever busy Aba Ikot Ekpene Expressway claimed the life of a man identified as Arua, an indigene of Abiriba, Ohafia Local Area of Abia State.
This is happening less than 2weeks after an accident involving a Mack truck carrying chippings allegedly killed about 10 persons on the same spot of the Waterside Bridge which forced Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu in the company of the commissioner for works to pay an unscheduled visit to the accident site.
The accident which took place at about 8:00am caused gridlock on the Ikot-Ekpene-Aba axis of the expressway forcing many motorists heading into the commercial town to use the Aba-Ikot-Ekpene lane while others were forced to use Opobo junction route because of the situation.
Our reporter who visited the accident scene shortly after it occurred gathered that the corpse of the man who died on the spot had been taken to GMP mortuary as three other accident victims were hospitalised at Egon Clinic. A nursing mother whose case was said to be severed was said to have been taken to the Abia State Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) for prompt medical attention.
As at 9:10 when our reporter visited Egon clinic beside “Ahia Udele” by East, nurses were attending to two males victims who were in great pain while family members of a female victim were making efforts to take their loved one for the scan to ascertain if there were internal bleeding.
A member of her family told our reporter that from the doctor’s observation, it seems like the lady fractured her legs.
According to him, “I am a footballer. I stay in Rivers State but was in Aba for the weekend. I was going to the bank to make a withdrawal from a nearby ATM before heading to the park for Port Harcourt. While I was waiting for some distance from the scene, the accident happened.
Because I have been helping an accident victim, I rushed to the scene to meet the lady who turned out to be my relation lying haplessly on the road with two other persons. People abandoned them, thinking that they have died. Policemen at the checkpoint at Waterside came and peeped at them and left the scene.
“A police patrol van came, slowed down and moved on without even assisting the victims. On a closer inspection, I realised that she and others were still breathing. It was at that point that people around helped to move them into keke that brought them to this (Egon Clinic) for medical treatment.”
Another source who gave his name as Kingsley attributed the cause of the accident to over-speeding and loss of control by the driver of a “J5” car heading towards the bridge from Ogbor Hill which rammed into the tricycles and passersby.
Kingsley stated that the whereabouts of the driver and the conductor were not yet known as at the time of our reporter’s visit to the scene.
“Somebody parts of the man who died on the spot was picked from different locations because it was ripped into pieces. It was so bad that they were packed into a nylon,” Kingsley narrated.
Also speaking at the scene of the accident, a civil right activist and Aba-based lawyer, Barr. Saint Moses Ogbonna described the incident as unfortunate and called for the relocation of police checkpoints and bus stops on the bridge.
According to Ogbonna, the loss of life on the Ogbor Hill bridge is becoming worrisome and needs urgent action from the state government to save more lives from being lost on the bridge due to the recklessness of drivers and activities of policemen who he accused of causing gridlock bridge and using the checkpoint as a toll collection point.
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Man’s leg falls into lagoon in Third Mainland bridge accident
A passenger on Sunday morning lost his limb in an accident between a red Toyota and a Danfo bus on Third Mainland Bridge. His severed leg fell into the Lagoon.
The victim, a passenger in the danfo bus was seating in the front when the accident happened.
His limb was reported to have been entangled within crash barriers on the.bridge before eventually falling into the lagoon.
RRS riders and monitors at the scene subsequently called for emergency unit to help recover the missing leg.
Recovery effort by the Marine Police and a team of RRS officials is on, while the man has been moved to Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos.
The vehicles have been moved by LASEMA Response Unit to avoid congestion.