Scene of the accidentAfeez Hanafi
Tragedy struck on Sunday around 8am after a truck crushed a pastor, Ojo Mattew, and a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called okada rider, to death on Oyero Road, Ijoko, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
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It was learnt that the motorcyclist, Ayo Nugbohoyon, was taking the pastor to a church when they were crushed by a truck conveying cement and asbestos.
The truck reportedly pushed them into the path of an oncoming Toyota Camry car with a Lagos number plate, CF 929 MU, carrying, five members of a family, who were also going to church.
The driver of the car, identified only as Samuel, and his family members – wife and three children – reportedly sustained injuries and had been rushed to a hospital in the area. The car fell into the drainage channel by the roadside.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the truck marked, EPE712XH, Lagos, was heading inward Oyero from Ogba Ayo when its tyres slipped off the steep part of the road and veered into the motorcycle, which was going towards Ogba Ayo.
The corpses of the deceased were said to have been taken to the Ifo General Hospital Mortuary when our correspondent arrived at the scene, as policemen from the Agbado division and some residents of the community were seen making efforts to clear the road. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps later joined them in the operation.
An okada rider and friend of Nugbohoyon, Israel Oyewo, said he (the deceased) had wanted to travel to Benin Republic to meet his wife who gave birth on Friday.
He said, “It is very painful. His wife had a baby two days ago and he had planned to travel later today (Sunday) before the incident happened. The passenger he carried, a pastor, also died. He was taking the pastor to a church.”
Samuel’s friend, Praise Oladapo, who spoke with our correspondent at the scene, said the victims had been stabilised and were responding to treatment.
He, however, did not disclose the name of the hospital where they were admitted.
He said, “We thank God that none of them died. The five of them are responding to treatment. They are still recuperating and won’t be able to speak with anybody now. They were going to church when the truck rammed into their car.”
A resident, Tunde Aderopo, said the family escaped death by a whisker.
“If not for God who intervened, the fatality would have been more than two. I never believed all the family members would survive when I saw the extent of damage to the car. The truck slipped and rammed into the car, crushing the motorcycle between them,” he added.
The pastor’s wife was said to have gone to the mortuary when our correspondent visited his residence in Matogun.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi and the Unit Commander, of FRSC in Agbado, Mr. Lasisi Ogundele, confirmed the accident, adding that the truck driver was on the run.
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Ogundele said, “The motorcyclist was carrying the pastor to church when the accident happened. Family members inside the Toyota Camry car that was also affected were injured. The corpses of the deceased have been taken to the mortuary by the police.”
Punch NG
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