5 die in Ondo auto crash

Five persons were Sunday killed and 11 others injured in a road crash at Ikaram Akoko in Akoko Northwest Local Government…

Five persons were Sunday killed and 11 others injured in a road crash at Ikaram Akoko in Akoko Northwest Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The lone accident, involving an 18-seater Toyota Hiace with registration no: DKA 256 XY, occurred when the driver, at top speed, lost control of the wheels.

An eyewitness, Titilayo Adebisi, said the driver who was driving through the Oke Agbe-Ajowa Akoko Road lost control of the wheels and immediately had a flat tyre before bursting into flames.

She said the bodies of the deceased had been evacuated by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Police Force.

• Don’t close Anambra newspaper, NUJ urges Soludo
• Subsidy removal: Road transportation costs compete with airfares

“We are so sad right now because this is indeed a black Sunday for us. This unfortunate incident has caused a sober mood in major parts of the community,” she added.

Confirming the crash, the Unit Commander of the FRSC, Mr Oluropo Alabi, said the accident involved 18 passengers in the vehicle who were in transit through the state.

Oluropo revealed that 12 passengers, including seven males and four female adults were rescued from the scene of the accident.

“The accident involved 18 passengers; five were killed, 11 were injured while the victims were taken to the state’s specialist hospital in Ikare Akoko for medical attention.

“The corpse were also taken to the same hospital morgue and the crashed vehicle was taken over by the men of the Nigeria Police in Okegbe division,” he said.

A monarch in the area, the Akala of Ikaram, Oba Andrew Momodu lamented the absence of a speed breaker, particularly at the junction of the community.

He said on several occasions, the community has cried out to both the state and federal Ministry of Works to assist the community to nib in the bud incessant accident in the area.