Barely 72 hours after hosting a successful traditional marriage in Nnewi, Anambra State, a family of five Sunday escaped death by the whiskers in a multiple motor accident that occurred in Ikorodu, Lagos.
The lucky family of five who were traveling in a Peugeot 406 marked MUS 300 CP and 21 others who were occupants of five other vehicles were almost ran over by a trailer lorry marked JJJ 938 XL at about 3.15 p.m. at Agric bus stop in Ikorodu which was said to have lost control following a brake failure.
One of the two women injured in the accident was taken to Ikorodu General Hospital for treatment by officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
The driver of the trailer and the motor boy attempted to escape from the scene of the accident were given a chase by people in the area and eventually arrested and are now in the custody of the police at Agric-Owutu Police Station, Ikorodu.
The other vehicles which were crashed by the trailer included a Lexus Jeep marked BDG 545 DL, a Honda car marked DV 403 LSR, a Mazda 626 salon car marked KRD 729 AM and an 18-seater passenger bus belonging to Young Shall Grow transport company, Code 954 and marked LND 756 XL.
The navy- blue Peugeot 406 in which the family of five was travelling was totally crushed beyond recognition.
The trailer lorry which was coming from garage roundabout, like all other vehicles, was said to have first ran into the passenger bus from the back and forcefully pushed it over the median into BRT corridor, before crushing the Peugeot 406 and the Lexus Jeep.
The accident worsened the traffic situation from the two ends of the road, including on the BRT corridor, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at garage and Agirc bus stop along Ikorodu-Lagos road.
Mr. Ugochukwu Okonkwo who drove the Peugeot 406 and lives in Surulere, said he was coming from Nnewi with his late elder brother’s wife and son who reside in FESTAC town, his elder sister’s son and a nephew, from the traditional marriage of his late brother’s daughter which held on Wednesday, August 31.
He said the traffic grid-lock on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway way made them to take the Ikorodu route in order to arrive Lagos quickly.
He recalled: “we were inside the car gisting, the glass was wound up because the air condition was on and we were thanking God for bringing us safely back to Lagos after the traditional wedding we went to perform in Nnewi.
“Suddenly, we heard the braking sound of a vehicle behind us and before we knew it, we saw the trailer coming at us and crashed into our vehicle from the back. I saw my elder brother’s wife and her son, a boy of 12 years old, who were sitting in the back seat, about flying out through the windscreen. Though, I was still strapped to my seat behind the steering but something propelled me and I grabbed both of them and pulled them back into the car.
“The way the trailer crashed into us, our car could have gone under a luxurious bus in front us but it didn’t because of the other car also crashed into by the trailer. It was a miracle. I don’t know how it happened. I think God did it for us”, he said adding that his elder brother’s wife only had minor injury was treated at Ikorodu General Hospital.
The driver of the Lexus Jeep, Mr. Tunji Ayeni said the trailer ran into the back of his car barely after three minutes that he joined the road from his street.
“All I can say is that I just heard this crushing sound and I looked back and saw the trailer coming at me.i thank God that I survive”, he said.
Mr. John Udegbunah who drove the Young Shall Grow Bus said they departed Onitsha at about 10. 00 a.m. Sunday and that the journey was smooth until they got to Agric in Ikorodu.
“We were moving slowly in traffic goes-slow when suddenly we heard the trailer crushing into our bus from the behind. The trailer continued pushing us until we went over the median into the BRT corridor. I thank God nobody died. But a lady was injured in the hand but she has left”, he said.
Another victim of the accident, Mr. Obi Oluchukwu, who was massaging his right shoulder and arm, said he was answering a call on his phone when the trailer crashed into their bus from the back.
Although, the passenger bus back where he sat was crushed, he thanked God for saving his life.
