At least, six persons have been confirmed dead and five others sustained varied injuries in an accident that occurred along Akanran Road in Ona Ara Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo State in the early hours of Monday.
Among the injured was a pupil whose mother reportedly died in the ghastly accident involving two trailers and two tricycles. Four of the injured who were conveyed to the Amuloko City Hospital nearby included two primary school children who were treated as out-patients while two with severe injuries were admitted for proper treatment.
The dead persons were also conveyed to a hospital that was not yet ascertained. A staff of the Oyo Road Transport Maintenance Agency (OYRTMA) who spoke on a condition of anonymity at the scene attributed the cause of the accident to the brake failure of the trailer that was descending the slope of the road. “Having lost control, it crushed a tricycle popularly called Keke NAPEP.
“Another lorry conveying soft drinks which was coming from behind it and tried to avoid hitting the trailer in front hit and crushed another Keke NAPEP in the process. “We learnt that six persons died while five persons sustained injuries. They have all been conveyed away from here”, he said.
The accident had caused a serious gridlock with passengers alighting and trekking, while many have packed their vehicles by the roadside pending when security operatives will clear the vehicles from the road. “Aside from the two articulated vehicles and the two tricycles involved, two other cars were damaged in the multiple accidents,” the official told our correspondent. Sympathisers who were prevented from burning the vehicles blamed the drivers (who had escaped), claiming that the accident could have been minimised if the driver of the truck that lost brake had swerved into a ditch instead of facing the incoming tricycle.
Operatives of different security agencies including Operation Burst, OYRTMA, Police, Federal Road Safety Corps, the Amotekun Corps and local vigilantes were on the ground to maintain law and order and evacuate the affected vehicles. The Chief Medical Director of the Amuloko City Hospital, Dr. Raji Wale, disclosed that four patients were taken to his hospital.
“The accident occurred in the early hours of today, Monday. Six victims were brought here with varying degrees of injury. Some were taken to other hospitals. “We were able to absorb the ones brought here. Two have been treated as out-patient victims and they have been stabilised and they have left.
“Two kids have been treated and they are downstairs. One of them, I was told was in the Keke NAPEP with his mother. The mother died. “The other two with severe injuries have been admitted and are being treated. They have been optimised and we are taking care of them presently”, Raji said.
Contacted, the Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Oyo State Command, Mrs.Rosemary Alo confirmed the accident but said she would officially confirm when her men briefed her appropriately.
