Cement truck crushes 7 to death in Ogun State

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Friday said a couple and five persons died on Thursday in an auto crash in Ibese area of Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun.

The Itori Unit Commander of FRSC, Mr Fatai Bakare, told newsmen that the accident occurred in the late hours of Thursday when an articulated vehicle, belonging to Dangote cement at Ibese lost control.

“The accident occurred when an articulated vehicle lost control and rammed into two commercial motorcycles, killing a couple and four others on the spot,” he said.

According to him the vehicle belonging to a cement company was set ablaze by a mob.
“Two other vehicles of the same company were also set ablaze where they were parked.
“The angry mob burnt the three vehicles before our team and police could get to the scene of the accident.

“The seventh person was one of the drivers of the three trailers (articulated vehicles); he was inside the truck when it was set ablaze by the angry mob in the area.”
The commander added that remains of the victims were deposited at the morgue of Ilaro General Hospital.

According to Bakare: “Seven people died in the accident including a man and his wife who were on a bike and another man whom we heard that his wife just put to bed and the naming ceremony is next week Monday. The accident involved six males and one female, their bodies have been deposited at the Ilaro General Hospital morgue.

“As expected, people reacted angrily and burnt down two trucks of the cement company. The accident was a result of recklessness on the part of the driver which led to the loss of control. Truck drivers along that route are generally reckless and FRSC is doing all that is necessary to put the situation under control”, he said.

DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson of police in Ogun, said that the command’s Commissioner, Ikemefuna Okoye, was at the scene for on-the-spot assessment.
He said the command had also deployed 50 personnel to the scene to forestall breakdown of law and order and douse tension.

Adejobi urged residents of the area to go about their normal businesses, assuring that police were on top of the situation.