The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said 19 persons were killed in a fatal road crash on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at Okene bypass, on the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi State.

FRSC spokesperson, ACM Jonas Agwu, said the agency’s emergency rescue teams deployed to rescue the victims could not achieve desired results after three hours rescue attempts as the efforts they put into the rescue operations were unduly hindered by the fire inferno that engulfed the affected two vehicles.

The crash investigation report revealed that the crash involved two vehicles comprising a Dangote Truck bearing the registration details: NSH680YJ, and a Toyota Hiace Bus with registration number KMC455ZE.

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The Toyota Hiace Bus loaded from Kano State was on its lane on the highway when the Dangote Truck driver, who drove all the way from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, wrongfully overtook a vehicle and collided head-on with the bus. The impact of the collision resulted in a fire inferno that burnt the victims to death.

According to the report, the crash, which was caused by route violation – ‘One Way’ and wrongful overtaking – involved 22 people all male.

“Unfortunately, 19 people out of the 22 victims were killed and one injured. The remaining two victims who got rescued by FRSC operatives without injuries survived the crash because they complied with traffic regulations on compulsory use of seatbelt.

“The corpses of the dead victims whose lives were claimed by the crash have been deposited at Okene General Hospital,” the FRSC spokesman stated.

Tension and uneasy calm at present pervades IlIushi community in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State following an alleged plan by the state government to impose one Fidelis Okowele, an alleged non-indigene as the Onogie (king) of the agrarian community.

The alleged plan to install the non-indigene as the Onogie of the small community has led to protests by the indigenes of Illushi.

Singing solidarity songs, the protesters, who were armed with placards and banners, stormed the Secretariat Complex of Esan South East Local Government Area and the Office of the Directorate of State Security (DSS), both in Ubiaja, demanding immediate halt to the alleged government’s plan to install Mr. Okowele as the traditional ruler of the agrarian community, just as they insisted that he is not a bonafide indigene.

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The protesters called on both the Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Commissioner of Police to decisively intervene to forestall any possible breach of the tradition, custom, law and order, as well as peaceful coexistence of the people of Illushi.

The protesters’ spokesman, Mr. William Ajonota fumed, charging that Mr. Okowele is not a native of Illushi but from Onogolo and hence, cannot become the Onogie.

He said: “Illushi Community vehemently oppose and reject the plan to install a non-native as Onogie on the good people of Illushi.

“We urge the government to urgently take a second look at its plan and set the machinery of justice in motion against any plan to impose Fidelis Okowele as the Onogie of Illushi.”

In the protest letter, which was jointly signed, by Elder Okolo Abamu, Elder Pius Oifoghe and Augustine Igwe, the youth leader, they reiterated their resolve as a community not to surrender to the “unacceptable plan to install a non-native as the Onogie of Illushi”, an action which they dolefully predicted will result in crisis.

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The Vice Chairman of Esan South East Local Government Area, Mrs. Susan Otekpen, who received the letter of protest on behalf of the Chairman of the council, Hon. Lius Imhandegbelo advised the aggrieved protesters to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner in order to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

Mrs. Susan Otekpen assured that the matter will be channelled to the appropriate government quarters for an amicable resolution of the dispute.

Persistent efforts to speak with Mr. Okowele proved futile as his mobile phone was serially engaged.

A man identified simply as Azeez has been confirmed dead after reportedly jumping into Lagos lagoon while being chased by a mob for allegedly stealing bags of cement.

The Director in charge of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said he arrived at the scene of the incident to see the lifeless body of the deceased who drowned.

His corpse has now been evacuated and deposited at the Mainland General Hospital mortuary in Yaba.

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A statement released by the police read:
“SITUATION REPORT

SUICIDE/DROWNING

ON 26/04/2024 AT ABOUT 1220HRS THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF LASEMA OPERATION IN LAGOS CENTRAL REPORTED THAT AT ABOUT 1045HRS OF DATE, HE RECEIVED A CALL THAT THERE WAS AN INCIDENT AT LEKKI/IKOYI LINK BRIDGE. ON GETTING THERE HE MET A LARGE CROWD GATHERED BY THE WATER SIDE, WATCHING THE LIFELESS BODY OF A MAN WHO HAD DROWNED, WHO WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS AZEEZ ‘M’. HE WAS LATER CONFIRMED DEAD BY PARAMEDICS OF PRE HOSPITAL CARE LAGOS. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ONE ELIJAH AMOS ‘M’ WAS PURSUING THE DECEASED BEFORE THE DECEASED JUMPED INTO LAGOON, BECAUSE HE WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE STOLEN SOME BAGS OF CEMENTS. THE SCENE WAS VISITED WHILE THE CORPSE HAS BEEN EVACUATED AND DEPOSITED AT MAINLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL MORTUARY YABA, FOR AUTOPSY AND PRESERVATION. INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS.”