Two persons were feared killed in a tragic road accident involving a truck, a Nissan car and a motorcycle at the Ijapo area of Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday.
The fatal crash, which occurred in front of the headquarters of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), also left two other persons injured.
Eyewitnesses said officials of the VIO were carrying out routine vehicle inspection and licence checks in the area when the accident happened.
The victims, identified as brothers from the same family, were reportedly riding on a motorcycle when a speeding truck rammed into the motorcycle, a Nissan car with registration number Ondo WWW 322 TA and other vehicles, killing the siblings instantly.
A commercial driver whose vehicle was damaged in the crash recounted how he narrowly escaped death.
According to him, he had parked to deliver goods to his employer when the incident occurred.
“I came to deliver goods to my boss, but the shop was yet to open, so I parked my vehicle. As I was moving towards the boot to bring down the goods in front of the shop, I suddenly heard people shouting.
“When I looked back, I saw the tipper clearing vehicles and motorcycles. I immediately ran for my life. You can see how badly my vehicle was damaged. The tipper crushed the two men on the motorcycle instantly,” he said.
The situation reportedly triggered outrage among residents and youths in the area, who accused VIO officials of contributing to the accident. It took the intervention of police operatives to prevent an attack on the officers and restore calm.
Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samuel Ibitoye, attributed the crash to brake failure.
He disclosed that four people were involved in the accident, while two lost their lives.
“The accident occurred as a result of brake failure. Four persons were involved, while two were killed. The corpses of the deceased were deposited at Ondo State Hospital Mortuary by men of the Nigeria Police Force,” Ibitoye said.
The Ondo State Police Command also confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary findings showed that the truck collided with the motorcycle and the Nissan car from the rear.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said officers swiftly responded to the scene to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
“The motorcycle rider and his yet-to-be-identified passenger were immediately rushed to the Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Akure, where they were both confirmed dead by medical personnel on duty,” Jimoh stated.
“In the aftermath of the incident, some angry youths attempted to attack officials of the VIO who were present there over the unfortunate development. However, police personnel at the scene acted promptly and professionally to prevent a breakdown of law and order, ensuring that the situation was brought under control without further escalation.”
He added that the bodies of the deceased had been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy, while the damaged vehicles and motorcycle had been taken into police custody for further investigation.
