6th September, 2010
Survivors of Sunday’s road carnage on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Mowe-Ibafo axis have recounted their ordeal during the accident
One of them, Akin Alabi, who is the Ogun State correspondent of Global Excellence, a soft sell magazine, said, “the accident was terrible and was more horrible than the one that occurred some weeks ago at Berger Bus stop in Lagos State.â€
“The most painful thing was that all efforts to contact some officials of Ogun State Government including the state governor proved abortive. The state fire service was helpless. Fire men managed to work for about 15 minutes before they declared there was no more water. There was nothing they could do. It was disheartening, †he said.
Alabi, who was one of the occupants of the Abeokuta-bound vehicles that were coming from Lagos, lamented that the accident was caused by the tanker drivers who parked the trucks on the both sides of the road thereby blocking other motorists plying the route.
He said that the accident could have been averted if the state government had evicted the tanker drivers from the place.
“If the state government had done what it is supposed to have done, probably, the accident of yesterday could not have been averted or minimized. People have called on the Ogun State Government to send the tanker drivers away from the highway.
“I give thanks to God for sparing my life, even though I am still feeling pains all over my body,†he said.
A couple who lost two children to the accident were weeping profusely, when our correspondent visited the scene of the accident.
“My children are in there. Somebody should help me, my children must not die,†the helpless woman cried as she called on passers-by to help rescue her children.
Another survivor, who identified herself as Salewa, also narrated her experience and why she would organise a thanksgiving service in her church.
“My brother, I don’t have much to say. I promised to give thanks to the Lord. I boarded the bus from Lagos to Ibadan. My hope and spirits were already in Ibadan for my mission only to see myself where I am here now. I don’t have much injury, only this minor burns at my back. I pray that those who were seriously injured recover speedily,†Salewa said.
P.M.NEWS gathered this morning that some victims who sustained minor injuries were taken to private hospitals in Mowe and Ibafo in Ogun State.
Those who had serious injuries were taken to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, Sagamu for treatment.
A top official of OOUTH told our correspondent that some of the victims who were brought to the hospital yesterday night had died early today. But he did not disclose the number of those that had died.
—Biodun Onafuye