11 killed in auto crash

By Tope Abiola and Tunde Oyekola - 05.03.2008

ELEVEN people including a pregnant woman and a baby died in an autocrash at Ikire, headquarters of Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State, on Tuesday morning.

Sixteen others were seriously injured in the accident which involved a 32-seater coaster bus and a trailer. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the coaster bus with registration number BP 465 KJA hit the trailer with registration number, Lagos XQ796AAA which was parked beside the road.

Five men, including the driver of the bus, five women and the baby died instantly, while others that were taken to a private hospital in Ikire by officials of the Road Safety Corps were seen groaning in pains.

The remains of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of Oluyoro Catholic Hospital, Ikire. As at the time of filing this report, relations of the victims could not be located while their residences could no be identified but one of the survivors, Miss Kemi Ola, said some of the deceased were students of various tertiary institutions in Osun State who were travelling from Osogbo to Lagos.

She alleged that the driver of the bus slept off on the wheel, veered off the road and hit the trailer some metres to the secretariat of Irewole Local Government Area of the state. Hundreds of sympathisers were seen weeping and wailing at the scene of the accident, when the Nigerian Tribune visited the place.

About 18 people died at the same spot in an accident about four months ago. While reacting to the incident, the Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Lasisi Olagunju, described it as unfortunate. He sympathised with the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls.