Tragedy struck on Thursday at the Fari end of the Sagamu-Benin Expressway, after three passengers travelling for the New Year celebration lost their lives in a road accident.
It was learnt that four others were in critical condition at the Ro’ona Hospital, Ijebu Ode.
It was gathered that their vehicle, a Mazda bus, with number plate, AKD 899 XP Lagos, had departed the Sagamu area of Ogun State, en route to the eastern part of the country.
A truck, with number plate, BBC 266 XF, which was driving against traffic, was said to have had a head-on collision with the bus, killing the three passengers on the spot.
The truck driver and the motor boy were said to have immediately fled the scene.
Foodstuffs and personal effects of the victims were scattered by the roadside as people lamented over the crash.
“The two vehicles were coming from opposite directions and ran into each other. The truck bashed the bus by the side, making it to somersault and veer off the road. The vehicle’s door flung away instantly. This is sad. And these were people innocently going for the yuletide,” some of the witnesses said
The Unit Commander, Ogun State FRSC, Austin Ekele, said that the accident happened around 6.15am, adding that by the time officials of the agency got to the area, the truck driver and his motor boy had fled the scene.
He said, “The accident happened around 6.15am on Thursday. It was our officials who were on night duty that responded to the emergency after they got a distress call. We discovered that the truck driver drove against the traffic and collided with the commercial bus which was on its right lane. Apart from the fact that both of them were at top speed, the early morning fog might have also blurred their vision.
“A total of seven people in the bus were affected. While three died, four were rushed to the hospital where they are receiving treatment. Among the dead were two males and one female. We couldn’t find the truck driver, so he must have fled along with his motor boy. We have cleared the road to free the traffic.”
The Sector Commander, Ogun State FRSC, Mr. Clement Oladele, who equally confirmed the incident, said the corpses were deposited in the Ijebu Ode General Hospital Mortuary.
Oladele urged motorists to always obey the rules to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.
“Motorists should be careful, especially when the day is not bright. They should mind their lanes. There is no need to take illegal routes because all the roads are now good,” he added.
