By Okhide Em’ya David
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, today, warned against reckless driving in the state, while commiserating with the families of the victims of Tuesday ghastly motor vehicle accident on Sakponba Road, Benin City, which reportedly claimed the lives of four persons.
Chief of Staff to the Governor, Osaigbovo Iyoha, who signed the statement on behalf of the Governor, said the Governor is saddened by the unfortunate incident, noting that the loss of lives was regrettable.
According to him, “The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, is saddened by the unfortunate accident involving a tipper and two commercial buses in the Ogbelaka axis of Sakponba Road, which reportedly claimed the lives of four persons. The state government commiserates with the survivors and families of the victims of the accident.”
“The Governor has directed the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDTSMA) and security operatives to apprehend persons who behave and drive recklessly on roads in the state.
“He also warned tricycle, bus, tipper drivers, other operators of commercial vehicles and private vehicle owners to be cautious and avoid reckless driving as those who run foul of the law will face the full wrath of extant traffic laws in the state,” he said.
It would be recalled that Tipper Lorry conveying sharp sand, early on Tuesday Morning rammed into a Commercial Bus popularly called “Tuke Tuke” along Sakponba Road killing four persons.
The Truck also smashed other Vehicles thereby inflicting serious wounds on the occupants.
Some Passersby were not spared as those who could not run or engaged in early morning Hawking had ugly encounter.
The Accident which happened between ever busy Ogbelaka and Aruosa Junction on Sakponba Road at about 7 26 am threw the area into total chaos.
One the Persons who arrived early at the Accident scene alleged that the Tipper Lorry had break failure and without warning crashed into the Commercial Bus
The Tipper Lorry also rammed into another Lorry after it crushed the Bus, although it was not established whether there was any casualty.
The Chaos was worsened by sympathizers who constituted a traffic nuisance interfering with rescue efforts.
Workers and other Commuters resorted to trekking long distances to get to their respective destinations.
Although men of the Edo State Public Utility Volunteer Work Organization arrived early to restore order, the commotion had grown almost out of hand.
However men of the State Police Command later came to help normalize the situation.
The accident Victims were evaluated to the mortuary at the Edo State General Hospital, close to Oba Ovonramwen Square.
Some Persons who also sustained several degrees of injuries were rushed to the same hospital.
Neither the Edo State Police Command nor the State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps had issue official statements on the accident as at the time of this report.
