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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Metro
Red Sea Tragedy: US Pilots Shot Down in ‘Friendly Fire’ Mishap
Two US Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea early Sunday in “an apparent case of friendly fire,” the US military said.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels said later on Sunday they had “targeted” the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman a day earlier in an operation that led to “shooting down an F-18 aircraft” and thwarting “American-British aggression” against Yemen.
United States Central Command said late on Saturday that both US pilots were recovered alive but “initial assessments indicate that one of the crew members sustained minor injuries”.
This incident, “was not the result of hostile fire, and a full investigation is underway,” CENTCOM said.
The potentially disastrous mistake underscores the dangers of a mission the United States has been involved in for more than a year to counter Yemen’s Huthi rebels.
The Huthis have repeatedly targeted merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, waterways vital to global trade.
CENTCOM said the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg “mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18” fighter aircraft, which Navy pilots had flown off the USS Harry S Truman.
On Saturday the United States said it struck targets including a missile storage facility in Yemen’s rebel-held capital Sanaa, hours after a Huthi rebel missile wounded people in Israel’s commercial hub Tel Aviv.
US forces also shot down multiple Huthi attack drones and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea, CENTCOM said.
“The operation involved US Air Force and US Navy assets, including F/A-18s,” CENTCOM said.
The Huthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel and Hamas have been at war since October 7, 2023.
Metro
Death Toll Rises to 22 in Anambra Stampede, As Police Begin Investigation
The death toll from a tragic stampede in Anambra State has risen to 22, local authorities confirmed on Sunday.
The Anambra State Police Command, through its spokesman Superintendent Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed that the police have commenced an investigation into the incident. Ikenga also stated that several injured victims are receiving medical treatment.
“The Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, visited the hospital where the victims of the tragic stampede that occurred on December 21, 2024, in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, are receiving treatment,” Ikenga said. “Regrettably, 22 people lost their lives. The CP commiserates with the families and friends of the deceased and wishes the injured a quick recovery.”
The stampede occurred on Saturday during a rice distribution event at Amaranta Stadium in Okija. The event, organized by the Obijackson Foundation, was intended to provide relief to residents.
A Pattern of Tragedy
The Anambra incident follows a series of similar tragedies across the country. Earlier in December, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, claimed 10 lives. A few days prior, a children’s funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, ended in disaster, with 35 children losing their lives and six others critically injured.
The string of incidents has raised serious concerns about crowd management during large-scale events in Nigeria. Prominent figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, have called for urgent reforms.
“It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I receive yet again the heartbreaking news of lives lost in tragic stampedes, this time in Okija, Anambra, and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory,” Atiku wrote on his X handle late Saturday. “It is imperative that those entrusted with the organization of such large-scale events take the utmost care in crowd management, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all participants.”
Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, lamented the incidents as a reflection of the rising desperation caused by hunger in Nigeria.
“I am deeply saddened and distressed by the tragic loss of lives in desperate searches for food,” Obi wrote on X. “While I will not cast blame, I appreciate the organizers of these events for their kind gestures. However, these tragedies reflect the systemic failures that plague our society.”
A Call for Reform
The recent stampedes underscore the urgent need for better planning and safety protocols at public events. Experts and stakeholders are calling on authorities and event organizers to adopt stringent crowd management strategies to prevent future tragedies.
Meanwhile, families of the victims continue to mourn their loss, as the nation grapples with the deepening economic challenges that have driven many to desperation.
Metro
Grim Friday: Man, Wife, Grandson Perish in Ibadan Fire
A devastating house fire in the Ori-Eru area of Idikan, Ibadan, Oyo State, has claimed the lives of a man, his wife, and their grandson. The incident occurred on Friday at approximately 3:46 PM, leaving the community in mourning.
According to a statement by CSP Olaniyan Jibola of the Mapo Police Division, the fire engulfed the upper floor of a six-room residential storey building.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims had used a naked flame to keep their room warm during the cold weather, which tragically led to the fire.
“On arrival, we met the upper floor of a residential building of six rooms on fire. We swiftly swung into action, and the fire was completely extinguished. Unfortunately, the three victims had slept off after putting on the fire and could not escape,” the statement read.
Despite the tragedy, the prompt intervention of the police and a team of Amotekun officials led by Gbenga Akinyemi from the North West Division helped rescue five individuals from the burning building. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the ground floor or adjacent properties.
The remains of the victims have been recovered, while the rescued individuals are receiving medical attention.
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