By Marvin Enyosa
No fewer than three persons have been confirmed dead in a fatal accident which occurred along Old Lagos/Asaba road, Boji-Boji Owa, Ika northeast local government area of Delta State.
Tragedy struck when a fuel-laden Tanker failed brake and rammed into several vehicles and pedestrians.
The victims include a lady with her little child and a mid-aged pedestrian whose bodies were dismembered in the fatal accident.
Eyewitness account disclosed that the unfortunate accident occurred at about 4:00pm on Monday January 24th 2022, directly opposite Okoh Junction, in Ika Northeast local government area of the state.
It was gathered that the deceased lady was riding on her ladies motorcycle, heading towards the traffic light junction with her three children she picked from school when the truck suddenly ram into them.
Apart from the lady, her child and one other who died in the spot, some others which includes the deceased lady’s eldest child were said to have been left with varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to the Central Hospital, Agbor for medical attention.
Meanwhile, a joint team of the Nigerian Army, Federal Road Safety Corps and the Police from Owa-Oyibu and the Agbor Divisions were mobilized by the Executive Chairman of Ika Northeast local government Council, Hon. Barr. Victor Ebonka, were seen making frantic effort to clear the heavy gridlock caused by the terrible accident.
The council boss who was visibly on ground till a crane was drafted to the scene to pull off the tanker, did his best to stop angry youths from setting the fuel-laden tanker ablaze in order to avoid further disaster.
He also ordered the road on both sides to be barricaded so as to keep both vehicles and pedestrians away from the tanker.
Speaking with newsmen, Hon. Barr. Victor Ebonka, who is also the State Chairman of ALGON, sympathized with the victim’s families, describing the accident as pathetic and very unfortunate.
He advised the youths not to take laws into their hands as the case was not of jungle justice or criminality neither was it an intentional act, rather a case of brake failure.
“The trailer is fully loaded with petroleum product and if you try to ignite it, then you are practically igniting yourselves because the flame from the fuel will definitely consume you that ignited it,” he told the angry youths.
“We have been able to save one of the children and handed her to her father while others in the vehicles that were crushed along the line, were evacuated to the nearby hospital which I am also informed that they are responding to treatment,” Hon. Barr. Ebonka added.
He advised truck drivers to ensure that their vehicles are in working condition and also reduce their speed to the barest minimum, particularly when driving along sloppy roads.
As at the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the driver of the ill-fated tanker was unknown.
