There was pandemonium at Beere and Oje areas of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Tuesday when a fuel tanker lost its brakes and crushed some commercial tricycles, popularly known as “Keke Marwa,” killing two and leaving three others injured.
The incident, which occurred around 1:15 p.m., threw the busy inner-city area into chaos with victims screaming and running helter skelter As the truck rolled down from the Beere hill to the busy Oje Market area. It left some occupants trapped beneath the wreckage.
Emergency responders, including police officers and traffic management officials, were promptly deployed to the scene to control the situation, evacuate the injured, and restore order to traffic in the area.
Confirming the accident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ayanlade Olayinka (SP), told New Telegraph that the accident indeed happened, but the actual number of casualties could not be ascertained as details were still just coming in.
He said, “Sir, I can confirm that there was an accident along the aforementioned road in Ibadan. However, I can not at this moment confirm the extent of the damage or the number of those injured or killed, as the details are still emerging. The situation has been brought under control, and investigation is still ongoing”, he said.
According to the Oyo State Sector Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mrs Rosemary Alo, “the accident involved a commercial DAF tanker belonging to BOVAS and five yellow tricycles. Findings indicate that the tanker lost control and rammed into the tricycles, leading to a multiple crash”.
Mrs Alo explained further that a total of eleven persons were involved in the accident, out of which three adult males sustained varying degrees of injuries, while one male and one female lost their lives.’
“The injured victims were taken away by their relatives for medical attention, while the corpses have been deposited at the morgue of Adeoyo Hospital”, she explained.
Meanwhile, the member representing Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West federal constituency of Oyo state in the House of Representatives, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Stanley Olajide, has commiserated with the government and people of Oyo state over the tragic incidents.
In a statement made available to newsmen by Tolu Mustapha, Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs to Hon. Olajide Odidiomo, the lawmaker described the incident as tragic and heartbreaking.
Hon. Olajide extended his condolences to the families of the victims, those injured and traders affected by the unfortunate incident, as well as, to the state government.
“This is a painful and unfortunate incident that has brought grief to many families and disrupted economic activities in the area. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and all those affected,” Olajide said.
The PDP gubernatorial hopeful commended the swift response of emergency agencies and security personnel who were mobilised to the scene to manage the situation and prevent further escalation.
He called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident, stressing the need for stricter enforcement of road safety regulations, particularly for heavy-duty vehicles operating within densely populated urban areas.
