The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of four persons while three others sustained injuries in a tragic auto accident that occurred in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. FRSC Corps Commander in the state, Rosemary Alo who confirmed the accident, said it took place along Ogbomoso – Orile Igbon at Emaayo Filling Station.
The Corps Commander who disclosed that the accident occurred by 11 pm on Friday, said it involved two trailers without registration numbers. She identified the cause of the accident as mechanical fault and loss of control.
According to her, 10 people including four males that died and three injured were involved in the accident while three others were unharmed. The FRSC chief said drivers need to be cautioned against poor maintenance of their vehicles and night journeys.
The incident took place when an articulated vehicle carrying chemicals was attempting to navigate a problematic area around the seminary. She said that the bodies of the deceased were taken to Ebunoluwa Hospital, Ogbomoso where they were released to their families for burial, while the injured individuals were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Security operatives and officials from the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) were on-site to manage traffic and ensure safety at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, residents of Ogbomoso, along with commuters, have voiced their concerns regarding the deplorable condition of the old Ogbomoso Road, calling for urgent action from the appropriate authorities to address the hazardous situation. It would be recalled that the new Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomosho-Ilorin Expressway had been under construction since 2001.
An Ogbomoso indigene who identified himself as Kolapo said, “Several appeals have been made to governments and other relevant agencies at both state and federal levels to repair and ensure the new Ibadan-Ilorin Highway is completed but they have turned deaf ears, unresponsive and unconcerned about what people go through.
“The damaged portion within Ogbomoso metropolis was less than 500 metres long, yet, despite the cries for government’s intervention spanning almost a year now, it has not received attention. Several communal interventions have only offered temporary relief.”
He further accused the state government of neglecting the road saying, “The Oyo-Iseyin road is a federal government road; its reconstruction was executed by the present Oyo State government when the federal government refused to do so. That is a road stretching tens of kilometres. Why can’t the state government come to our rescue in this one too, a stretch that’s less than 500m?”
