No fewer than two siblings lost their lives in a fatal road accident which occurred at the Ijapo area of Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday.
The accident involved a Nissan car with registration number Ondo WWW 322 TA, a truck which had no registration number, and a motorcycle.
Two other victims of the accident sustained injuries.
The fatal incident occurred in front of the headquarters of the Vehicle Inspection Office, where officials were reportedly conducting routine vehicle inspections and licence checks at the time of the accident.
The victims, who were said to be brothers from the same parents, were riding on a motorcycle when the speeding truck rammed into the car, the motorcycle, and other vehicles, killing them instantly.
A commercial driver whose vehicle was also badly damaged in the incident and who pleaded for anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the incident said he narrowly escaped death and narrated his ordeal to NGGOSSIPS Metro.
“I came to deliver goods to my boss, but the shop was yet to open, so I parked my vehicle. As I was moving towards the boot to bring down the goods in front of the shop, I suddenly heard people shouting.
“When I looked back, I saw the tipper clearing vehicles and motorcycles. I immediately ran for my life. You can see how badly my vehicle was damaged. The tipper crushed the two men on the motorcycle instantly.”
NGGOSSIPS Metro gathered that it took the intervention of the police to prevent residents of the area from attacking the VIO officers who were believed to have caused the accident.
Confirming the incident on the telephone, the Ondo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Samuel Ibitoye, said the accident happened as a result of brake failure in one of the vehicles involved.
He said, “The accident occurred as a result of brake failure. Four persons were involved, while two were killed. The corpses of the deceased were deposited at the Ondo State Hospital mortuary by men of the Nigeria Police Force.”
Similarly, the state police command confirmed the fatal road accident, saying preliminary investigations revealed that the incident occurred when the tipper truck collided with the motorcycle and the Nissan vehicle from the rear, leading to the tragic incident.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said operatives of the command swiftly responded to the scene where photographs were taken and necessary documentation carried out.
“The motorcycle rider and his yet-to-be-identified passenger were immediately rushed to the Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Akure, where they were both confirmed dead by medical personnel on duty.
“In the aftermath of the incident, some angry youths attempted to attack officials of the VIO who were present there over the unfortunate development.
“However, police personnel at the scene acted promptly and professionally to prevent a breakdown of law and order, ensuring that the situation was brought under control without further escalation.”
According to him, the remains of the deceased had been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy, while the accident vehicles and motorcycle had been recovered to the station for safekeeping and further inspection.
Recall that two people lost their lives on Monday morning when a trailer and a Toyota Corolla collided in Kwang community in the Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, leaving three others injured.
The accident occurred around 8:10am near a filling station in the community, with five persons said to have been involved in the crash.
