Metro
Drunk motorist kills four, injures 16 in Lekki toll gate accident
Tragedy struck on Sunday at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos State, after the driver of a Lexus sport utility vehicle, Gbeminiyi Odeniyi, rammed into a commercial bus.
While two persons died on the spot, two others reportedly died at the Lagos Island General Hospital, Marina, where they were taken to for treatment.
A total of 16 others, which included passengers of the commercial bus and Odeniyi, were severely injured.
PUNCH Metro learnt that some bus drivers mobilised to stage a protest against the management of the toll gate, but shelved the idea after realising the accident was caused by the driver of the vehicle, who was suspected to be drunk.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Adeshina Tiamiyu, said the agency received a distress call on the accident around 6.49am.
He explained that LASEMA mobilised other agencies to the scene, including policemen from the Maroko division, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, officials of the State Environmental Monitoring Unit and Lagos State Ambulance Service.
According to Tiamiyu, investigation by the agency’s response team at the scene showed that the Lexus GX470, with the number plate, Lagos KJA 615 DF, was driving against traffic when it rammed into the commercial bus, with the number plate, KJA-615DF.
The commercial bus was reportedly coming from the Ajah area and had been cleared to pass the toll gate when the accident happened.
“A total of four fatalities were recorded, including three adult males and an adult female. Sixteen casualties with severe injuries were rescued, including four adult females and 12 adult males. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital, Marina.
“Emergency and security operatives were involved in traffic management (to forestall the occurrence of a secondary accident), crowd control, medical care to casualties and moving of victims to the general hospital and the Trauma Centre at the toll gate for further treatment.
“The two victims who died at the scene were handed over to SEHMU, while the remaining two were later confirmed dead,” he added.
He said wreckage of the vehicles were handed over to officials of the toll gate, who moved them to the Maroko Police station.
The LASEMA boss advised motorists to drive with caution when on highways and abstain from taking alcoholc beverages before driving.
He added that motorists should also ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy before embarking on journeys to avoid unnecessary loss of lives
“This particular incident will be investigated by security operatives, while the state government will ensure prosecution of the culprit to serve as a deterrent to errant motorists,” he added.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lekki Concession Company, managers of the toll gate, Mohammad Hassan, who described the accident as unfortunate, claimed that hard drugs were found in Odeniyi’s vehicle.
“The danfo (commecial bus) had just paid its toll and was about to leave when one hopeless motorist took one way and hit it.
“When the police came and searched the SUV, they found different kinds of drugs, meaning the driver didn’t know what he was doing. I learnt two people died and others were injured,” he said.
Hassan added that colleagues of the bus driver, who saw the accident thought it was caused by workers at the toll gate and wanted to protest.
He noted that the firm called leaders of the transport workers to explain the situation, which made the drivers to drop the idea.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, said the police had a record of three deaths.
“Three bus passengers died on the spot, while 10 others, with varying degrees of injury, were rescued and taken to the Lagos Island and Gbagada general hospitals for treatment. The erring motorist is in a critical condition. Corpses have been deposited at the Lagos Island General Hospital’s morgue for autopsy, while the vehicles were recovered to the station for inspection,” he said in a text message.
While speaking with our correspondent on the telephone, Oti denied that the police found hard drugs in the vehicle, saying the driver was, however, discovered to be drunk.
In a related development, two sympathiers lost their lives along the Eko Bridge on Lagos Island, while trying to rescue the driver of a Honda CRV who had a lone crash on Sunday.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the sympathisers were bringing out the motorist when the driver of a Toyota Camry, identified as Ayorinde Ibitayo, ran over them.
Oti, who confirmed the accident, said the suspect was in custody.
“The Honda CRV, with the number plate, APP 304 DV, had an accident around 2.30am. As sympathisers were trying to rescue the victim out of his car, a Toyota Camry, without a number plate, driven by one Ayorinde Ibitayo, of Akinwunmi Street, Ifako, Lagos, ran into the sympathisers. Two of them were crushed,” he said.
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No fewer than 20 shops were razed while goods valued at over ₦200 million were destroyed after a midnight fire gutted a shopping complex in the Dugbe area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
The inferno, which started around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, affected the Nigerian Postal Service shopping complex located beside the Dugbe General Post Office.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent on Sunday that the fire was allegedly triggered by an accident involving a Lexus saloon car.
According to residents, the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while travelling from the Queen’s Cinema axis towards Iyaganku.
The vehicle was said to have rammed into a giant billboard situated in front of the Nigerian Railway Corporation station in Ibadan before somersaulting and splitting into two.
Witnesses said the rear part of the vehicle, reportedly carrying a Compressed Natural Gas tank and back tyres, detached and rolled into the shopping complex, where an explosion occurred, igniting the fire.
The blaze razed about 20 shops dealing in stationery, computer accessories and clothing materials, leaving traders counting heavy losses.
Men of the Oyo State Fire Service were, however, able to prevent the fire from spreading to the General Post Office and adjoining buildings.
The occupants of the Lexus reportedly escaped unhurt.
Although some eyewitnesses alleged that the occupants were heading towards the Ring Road area before the crash, authorities had yet to officially confirm details surrounding their identities and movement as of the time of filing this report.
When our correspondent visited the scene around 8 a.m. on Sunday, firefighters and security operatives were still at the complex battling the aftermath of the inferno as smoke billowed from sections of the affected structure.
Shop owners and residents gathered at the scene, lamenting the destruction of goods and property.
One of the affected traders, Kingsley Chioma, said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Iyaganku Police Station assured victims that efforts were underway to apprehend the driver.
“We lost goods worth millions of naira to the fire. The DPO assured us that the driver responsible for the incident would be arrested,” Chioma said.
As of the time of filing this report, officials of the Oyo State Fire Service and the police had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Tragedy struck Oda Community in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State after a 38-year-old man was arrested by the police for allegedly killing his biological father during a violent domestic dispute.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh.
According to the police, the incident began as a heated disagreement between the father and son before it escalated into a physical confrontation that turned deadly.
“During the confrontation, the deceased reportedly sustained severe injuries, particularly to the head. He was immediately rushed to a medical facility for urgent attention,” Jimoh said.
Despite efforts by medical personnel to save his life, the father was confirmed dead by the attending doctor while receiving treatment.
The police spokesperson disclosed that the matter was formally reported to the police by another son of the deceased, identified as Daniel Moses, who is also a brother to the suspect.
“Following a formal complaint lodged at the police station by one Daniel Moses, a son of the deceased and brother to the suspect, detectives promptly commenced investigation into the matter. Acting swiftly on the report, police operatives apprehended the suspect and took him into custody for questioning,” the statement added.
Jimoh further confirmed that the remains of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary, while the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation.
He added that the suspect remains in custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the abduction of Mrs Busayo Adelabu John-Paul, a younger sister of a former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and her 12-year-old twin sons by suspected gunmen in Ibadan.
The opposition party, while expressing concern over the worsening security situation in the state, called on Governor Seyi Makinde to work more closely with security agencies and relevant stakeholders to stem the growing wave of kidnappings and violent crimes.
Mrs John-Paul was reportedly abducted on Wednesday alongside her twin sons at the Elewura area of Challenge, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Sources said the victims were travelling from their residence when armed men, who allegedly trailed their vehicle, intercepted them around 7:30am and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
Reacting to the incident in a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC described the abduction as disturbing, particularly at a time when residents were already anxious over unresolved kidnapping cases involving schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, as well as two members of staff of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria in the Idi-Ayunre area of Oluyole Local Government Area.
The party warned that insecurity in the state was assuming an alarming dimension and urged authorities at all levels to urgently strengthen the security architecture to protect lives and property.
“We use this medium to appeal to the relevant authorities at the federal, state and local government levels to take a critical look at the security architecture of Oyo State with a view to tightening all loose ends and ensuring maximum protection of lives and property of citizens regardless of their background, economic or socio-political status,” the statement read.
The APC also demanded the immediate rescue of all victims currently in captivity, including the Oriire school abductees, the two CRIN workers, Mrs Busayo John-Paul and her children.
“We demand immediate rescue of all Oriire school abductees, two CRIN staff, Mrs Busayo John-Paul and her children, as well as others who are in captivity at the moment,” the party stated.
The opposition party further urged Governor Makinde and security agencies to intensify efforts to curb the rising spate of kidnappings and violent attacks across the state.
“No citizen deserves to live in perpetual fear and anxiety as it is the situation with residents of Oyo State at the moment. We call on Governor Makinde to seek help where necessary so that the situation does not degenerate further. As it stands, nobody is safe anywhere in the state and it has never been this bad,” the statement added.
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