Four people, including a mother and her two children, were killed yesterday when an articulated vehicle lost control at Ojaoba, Ibadan, Oyo State capital, and ran into them. Four people were also injured.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred at 7.45 am, adding that the truck, registered as AGL883XQ, swerved to the other side, colliding with parked cars and tricycles picking up passengers.
The truck driver, according to reports, came to Beere to offload cement, and later faced Oja’ba towards Molete when its brake failed.
It ran into vehicles and tricycles parked beside the road, scampering passersby, and as it approached Isale Ijebu, Kobomoje, the driver swerved to the other side and hit a shop.
The truck blocked the road, leading to a gridlock, obstructing vehicles from Molete to Beere.
An eyewitness, Alhaja Aminat Bioku, said: “It was like a movie scene. The driver lost control of the vehicle, probably due to brake failure. The truck hit a woman and her two children, they died on the spot. It also hit four tricycles; one of the tricycles got burnt, leaving occupants injured.
“I also saw an expectant mother being brought out from under the truck, but she was not dead. We just need to be grateful to God that this accident happened in the morning.
“If it had been during the peak period like the afternoon when there are many traders around, it would have been something else.
“We thank God for everything and we pray that God in his infinite mercy and wisdom grant the dead eternal rest and console their families.”
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Sector Commander, Yusuf Salami, said one male child, one female child as well as a man and woman were killed.
He said the injured had been taken to University College Hospital, Ibadan.
Salami added that the bodies had been deposited at the New Adeoyo Hospital.
Police spokesman Adekunle Ajisebutu said the driver was arrested.
He also said the vehicles involved in the accident had been evacuated by the Vehicle Inspection Officers.
Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism Toye Arulogun condoled with the families, saying the loss of lives was unfortunate, sad and regrettable.
According to him, such deaths were needless and avoidable only if people desist from street trading, keep vehicles in good condition and abide by traffic laws.
He said: “This accident is one too many, you can see the number of casualties and the victims, ranging from traders, passersby, tricyclists among others. We condole with their families.
“We pray to God to uphold the families they left behind and we are using this medium to call on the people to see the government’s frequent campaign against street trading as a call to end this kind of bloodbath.
“We will always sensitise the people about the dangers of street trading.”
Source:The Nation
Tags
Society