A pregnant woman, simply identified as Mrs. Funmilayo and 30 other persons were reportedly crushed to death by a trailer on Ne Year eve at the second gate of Bola Ige International Market located along Ife-Ibadan Expressway, in Ibadan Oyo state.
Daily Trust reports that though the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) gave conflicting details of the incident, both confirmed that people were killed.
While state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adekunle Ajisebutu said eleven people died in the accident, a comprehensive report obtained from the office of the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Cecilia Alao, showed that 12 persons died from the incident, adding that their corpses have been deposited at the morgue of Oyo State Specialist Hospital, Adeoyo.
The report also indicated that 10 injured victims were receiving treatment at Toun Specialist Hospital, in Iwo Road area.
The incident according to eyewitnesses and the FRSC boss occurred at 11:45pm on Monday.
The victims were said to include people who were going to churches for the annual cross over night at Iyana-Agbala and Egbeda area of the city respectively.
Witnesses revealed that a bus belonging to one ‘Orobo Baba welder’ had loaded passengers at the spot, saying when it was about to embark on its journey, a trailer enroute Iwo Road from Ife axis crossed the road and wrecked the havoc.
The motor boy of the bus, Waris Olatunde, who spoke with Daily Trust said he narrowly escaped the incident because the driver of the vehicle (orobo baba welder) had paid him for his job and asked him to go home.
“It was only God that saved me. Usually, I used to collect money for him from the passengers before he leaves the park but in this case he said since it was late already, I should take N200 and leave. He told me that he would collect the money himself on the road.
“The man just closed the side door of the vehicle and before he enters from the driver side, the trailer had cross to this side and killed everyone in the vehicle. Even a Camry and micro were also crushed,” he said.
