Tragedy
struck on Thursday at Ikeja Along Bus Stop on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos
State, after a heavily loaded 40-foot container truck fell on a
government meat van, crushed a passerby, and wounded several others.
struck on Thursday at Ikeja Along Bus Stop on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos
State, after a heavily loaded 40-foot container truck fell on a
government meat van, crushed a passerby, and wounded several others.
Eyewitnesses
said the truck had swerved off the road to avoid colliding with some policemen,
who were chasing a motorcycle rider, before the incident occurred around 9am.
said the truck had swerved off the road to avoid colliding with some policemen,
who were chasing a motorcycle rider, before the incident occurred around 9am.
The
victim, identified as Samuel Ogunnaike, was an employee of a popular phone
dealer in Computer Village, Ikeja, and was on his way to the office when he met
his death.
victim, identified as Samuel Ogunnaike, was an employee of a popular phone
dealer in Computer Village, Ikeja, and was on his way to the office when he met
his death.
Any
hope that he could survive the accident was dashed after he was trapped for
about four hours before his body was retrieved from the wreckage.
hope that he could survive the accident was dashed after he was trapped for
about four hours before his body was retrieved from the wreckage.
The
van, Eko Meat Van, with number plate XY 433 AA was levelled after one of the
containers fell on it. The driver and three passengers in the vehicle, however,
escaped with injuries.
van, Eko Meat Van, with number plate XY 433 AA was levelled after one of the
containers fell on it. The driver and three passengers in the vehicle, however,
escaped with injuries.
Eyewitnesses
blamed the accident on the police.
blamed the accident on the police.
One of
them, Michael Energy, said overzealous policemen, who were chasing a
motorcyclist, caused the confusion that led to the accident.
them, Michael Energy, said overzealous policemen, who were chasing a
motorcyclist, caused the confusion that led to the accident.
He
said, “I was coming from Agege when I saw a commercial motorcyclist, popularly
called okada, driving against traffic. He was carrying a man and a lady as
passengers.
said, “I was coming from Agege when I saw a commercial motorcyclist, popularly
called okada, driving against traffic. He was carrying a man and a lady as
passengers.
“Some
police officers who were coming from Ikeja Along tried to stop him, but he
ignored them.
police officers who were coming from Ikeja Along tried to stop him, but he
ignored them.
“They
gave him a chase and brushed the okada with their vehicle, which sent the rider
and his passengers sprawling on the road.
gave him a chase and brushed the okada with their vehicle, which sent the rider
and his passengers sprawling on the road.
“Another
police van came, and seeing the scene, decided to wait. At this point, the two
police vehicles blocked the road.
police van came, and seeing the scene, decided to wait. At this point, the two
police vehicles blocked the road.
“The
Eko meat van was coming on the same road, and since the police had blocked the
major road, he had no option, but to stop.
Eko meat van was coming on the same road, and since the police had blocked the
major road, he had no option, but to stop.
“The
trailer, carrying two containers, was on top speed. I think his brake failed
because he was unable to control the speed.
trailer, carrying two containers, was on top speed. I think his brake failed
because he was unable to control the speed.
“The
driver of the trailer, while trying to avoid colliding with the police
officers, swerved and ended up ramming into the van and killing the man who was
passing by.”
driver of the trailer, while trying to avoid colliding with the police
officers, swerved and ended up ramming into the van and killing the man who was
passing by.”
Energy
claimed that immediately the accident occurred, the police vehicles disappeared
from the accident scene.
claimed that immediately the accident occurred, the police vehicles disappeared
from the accident scene.
A
member of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who would not want to
be named said, the corps treated two of the casualties at the accident scene,
before they were taken to the state’s hospital.
member of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who would not want to
be named said, the corps treated two of the casualties at the accident scene,
before they were taken to the state’s hospital.
He said
two other people that were badly injured had also been taken to an undisclosed
hospital before the NSCDC officials arrived.
two other people that were badly injured had also been taken to an undisclosed
hospital before the NSCDC officials arrived.
Mukaila
Rauf, a 24-year-old meat seller, who escaped unhurt in the meat van, said he
sat at the back of the van.
Rauf, a 24-year-old meat seller, who escaped unhurt in the meat van, said he
sat at the back of the van.
Rauf
said, “I saw the police pursuing three bikes. Suddenly, we heard the trailer
hooting. He tried avoiding us, but its tail hit the van and one of the
containers fell on us. Our driver was badly injured.”
said, “I saw the police pursuing three bikes. Suddenly, we heard the trailer
hooting. He tried avoiding us, but its tail hit the van and one of the
containers fell on us. Our driver was badly injured.”
The
atmosphere quickly turned to that of hostility as the crowd jeered and booed
the policemen who later cordoned off the area.
atmosphere quickly turned to that of hostility as the crowd jeered and booed
the policemen who later cordoned off the area.
This
began a long line of traffic, just as passengers of vehicles began to disembark
and started trekking to their destinations.
began a long line of traffic, just as passengers of vehicles began to disembark
and started trekking to their destinations.
A
police officer at the scene, however, told Punch Metro that the police was not
to blame for the accident.
police officer at the scene, however, told Punch Metro that the police was not
to blame for the accident.
She
claimed that the accident had occurred because the bike rider and the meat van
had taken one way.
claimed that the accident had occurred because the bike rider and the meat van
had taken one way.
She
said, “The motorcycle and the van were taking one way when the police were
trying to stop them. The driver of the truck then on top speed hit the van.”
said, “The motorcycle and the van were taking one way when the police were
trying to stop them. The driver of the truck then on top speed hit the van.”
South-west
coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye,
said, “We got conflicting accounts from the policemen and the public, so we
don’t know exactly the number of the casualties and what exactly transpired. We
only took out one dead body.”
coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye,
said, “We got conflicting accounts from the policemen and the public, so we
don’t know exactly the number of the casualties and what exactly transpired. We
only took out one dead body.”
Timeline
of rescue efforts
of rescue efforts
At
11.00am, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority brought a towing truck
which had to be pushed by policemen to the accident scene after it broke down.
This drew jeers from the crowd.
11.00am, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority brought a towing truck
which had to be pushed by policemen to the accident scene after it broke down.
This drew jeers from the crowd.
When it
was 12:00pm, it became clear the truck was useless and had to be abandoned as
LASEMA and NEMA brought their generator and gadgets to remove the trapped body.
was 12:00pm, it became clear the truck was useless and had to be abandoned as
LASEMA and NEMA brought their generator and gadgets to remove the trapped body.
At
1.14pm, the rescue agents were tired. The generator was off and when they tried
to restart it, it didn’t respond for some time.
1.14pm, the rescue agents were tired. The generator was off and when they tried
to restart it, it didn’t respond for some time.
At
1:16pm-, a bigger towing truck belonging to Dex Project Limited, arrived the
scene, but at this time, the body had been retrieved from the
gravel-covered ground.
1:16pm-, a bigger towing truck belonging to Dex Project Limited, arrived the
scene, but at this time, the body had been retrieved from the
gravel-covered ground.
At
1.18pm, Ogunnaike’s corpse was removed and put into a blue bag, then carried
into an ambulance belonging to the State’s Environmental Health Monitoring.
1.18pm, Ogunnaike’s corpse was removed and put into a blue bag, then carried
into an ambulance belonging to the State’s Environmental Health Monitoring.
School
children stuck
children stuck
Some
metres away from the accident, a train was on motion. It was fully loaded with
school children from eight different schools who were occupying different
compartments of the train.
metres away from the accident, a train was on motion. It was fully loaded with
school children from eight different schools who were occupying different
compartments of the train.
The
children were on excursion.
children were on excursion.
The
train, however, got a call to stop because part of the accident happened on its
tracks.
train, however, got a call to stop because part of the accident happened on its
tracks.
By the
time our correspondent was leaving the scene at 2pm, some of the schoolchildren
had started disembarking because the road was blocked.
time our correspondent was leaving the scene at 2pm, some of the schoolchildren
had started disembarking because the road was blocked.
Source: Punch
