6th August, 2013
The driver of the commuter bus who crushed a motorcyclist, also known as okada rider, and a family of three comprising husband, wife and their son, in Ita-Oluwo area of Ikorodu area of Lagos State, southsouth Nigeria, last Wednesday, is still on the run.
Police Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said: “We are still trying to get the identity of the fleeing bus driver.”
The incident happened when the motorcyclist, 35-year old Jamiu Olatunji alias Poro, a farmer who lives at Orimedu village in Ita-Oluwo, was said to have given the family a lift as they were going to a Muslim vigil programme called Lailatul-Quadri at Odogunyan.
The accident happened around 12 midnight last Tuesday at Cele bus stop along the Ikorodu-Shagamu road, Ita-Oluwo.
They were hit by a Faragon commuter bus according to eye witnesses and the driver of the bus sped off.
The names of the family that lost their lives are Mr. Yahaya Mogaji, 45, his wife Mrs. Mogaji, and the son Kamarudeen Mogaji, who was one and half years old.
In a chat with the father of the late motorcyclist/farmer, Pa Olatunji Olayinka, he said his son, Jamiu was already sleeping when his friend, the deceased Yaya, called him to take them to the Islamic programme.
About one hour later Pa Olayinka said he was called to come and see what has happened to his son, Yahaya and his wife and little son.
He said when he got to the scene of the accident, he saw the corpses of his son and the other three.
He said they called the police at Shagamu road police division, and a police team led by the DPO, Mr. Benard Ediagbonya came and took the corpses to the Ikorodu General Hospital morgue.
When P.M.NEWS tried to speak with the DPO at the Shagamu road police station, he referred our reporter the Police Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Ngozi Braide.
Residents of Ita-Oluwo are still in shock over the incident. They described the late cyclist/farmer as a jovial gentleman who went about his business without hurting anyone.
He is survived by his parents, a wife and six children, a girl and five boys.
—Debo Adejayan