Multiple vehicles clashed on the Enugu–Portharcourt Expressway on Wednesday, claiming the lives of many near the New Gariki Market.

The collision, which caused panic among traders and passers-by, involved four trailers loaded with cattle and other goods, two commercial buses, two Sienna vehicles, and several smaller cars trapped beneath the fallen articulated trucks.

As of reporting time, the casualty figure remained unknown, but the extent of destruction suggested a significant loss of lives.

Traders from the nearby Gariki Market were seen desperately trying to lift heavy tyres and metal debris to rescue survivors. Many wailed helplessly as they struggled to free trapped victims.

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One trader recounted: “People were driving one-way at speed. Before we knew it, trailers and vehicles collided, and everything scattered.” He blamed motorists for driving against traffic on the newly reconstructed lane of the expressway.

The situation escalated until about 20 soldiers arrived in four gun trucks and a Black Maria. They immediately began controlling traffic and creating passage for stranded motorists, as the crash had forced all vehicles onto the only usable lane.

No other authorities were present at the scene, and there has been no official statement regarding the number of casualties or the cause of the accident.

Kogi State government has confirmed the death of six persons in a road crash along the Lokoja–Okene road.

A statement from the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, on Wednesday night said, “The Kogi State Government regrets to announce a tragic accident involving a bus conveying some of our citizens who were returning from the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities held earlier today at the Government House, Lokoja.

“The unfortunate accident, which occurred along the Lokoja–Okene road, claimed six precious lives. Thirteen others sustained varying degrees of injuries and are currently receiving medical attention at different health facilities across the state.”

Fanwo stated that the tragedy has brought profound sorrow to the government and people of Kogi State.

“We mourn deeply with the families of the deceased and extend our heartfelt condolences to them during this painful and devastating moment. The loss of any Kogite is a loss to us all, and we stand in solidarity with the affected families and communities. This is indeed a dark day in our history.”

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“His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, has directed that the State Government take full responsibility for the medical care of all injured persons until they fully recover. Government officials have been deployed to the various hospitals to ensure that the victims receive the best possible treatment and to provide support to their families.

“Our hearts are with the families who lost their loved ones, as we consider this a state tragedy of devastating magnitude.

“As we collectively grieve, we ask for prayers for the repose of the souls of the departed and for the quick recovery of the injured. May God grant the bereaved families the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” he said.

In another development, suspected bandits, on Wednesday morning, launched another deadly attack on Irunda Ile in Yagba East LGA of Kogi State, leaving two residents dead, while policemen allegedly killed another two residents in a clash between the police and protesting youths of the community.

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The Guardian gathered that when security operatives arrived at the village over the bandits’ attack, the youth leader insisted that the police must enter the bush to pursue the bandits.

A community leader, Bobagunwa of Irunda Isanlu, Chief (Engr) David Oni Sunday, told The Guardian on the phone that there was an attack by bandits, which led to the death of two vigilantes.

He noted that when the police arrived, they were reluctant to chase the bandits, which led to the confrontation with the community youths.

“From there, they mistakenly killed two youths, while others were also hospitalised following the tear gas they received from the police. In all, four people were killed in our village this morning. Two vigilantes were killed by the bandits and two other persons were mistakenly killed by the police,” he stated.

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Meanwhile, the Security Adviser to Kogi State Government, Commander Jerry Omadora (Rtd), also confirmed the incident to journalists in Lokoja.

He said the bandits invaded the community in the early hours of Wednesday and killed two vigilantes who confronted them during the attack, adding that it was unfortunate that the youths who ought to assist the security agencies in fighting the bandits did something else.

“Security men were drafted to Yagba to chase the bandits away. Even those bandits occupying our mine site have been neutralised by the security men. Kogi State government will not allow any criminals in the state. We are working very hard to see that Kogi State is safe for everyone.

“Some few days ago, a helicopter was drafted to those areas and we recorded major success. The bandits were neutralised by the security men. We are not going to rest until we are able to neutralise the bandits completely,” the Security Adviser stated.

Victor Fajemirokun, the manfriend of the late officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Lasisi Funmilayo, and her daughter, Sewa, has explained why he lured the deceased to their death in the hands of some herbalists in Osun State.

Fajemirokun, aged 40 years, was paraded alongside two herbalists, Gboyega Daramola and Sunday James, at the headquarters of the Osun State Police Command in Osogbo on Wednesday.

The Osogbo-based businessman said he lured the deceased from Ogun to Ijebu-Jesa in Osun State, having been told by a Muslim cleric that Funmilayo, relying on spiritual manipulations, had used his glory.

According to The PUNCH, the 39-year-old senior officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Funmilayo, and her daughter, Sewa Lasisi, who were declared missing in Ogun State, were found dead with a mutilated body part at a suspected herbalist’s den in Osun, in what is suspected to be a ritual killing.

Recall that it was reported earlier that 39-year-old Funmilayo and her daughter were reported missing on the morning of Sunday, November 2, after they left their residence at the Obasanjo Hilltop Estate, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, and never returned.

Responding to questions from journalists, Fajemirokun said he was told by a cleric that, as long as Funmilayo was alive, he would not be successful.

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Fajemirokun, who said he told his wife in Osogbo that he was going for prayer in Ikoyi, Osun State, admitted inviting Funmilayo from Ogun to Osun because he needed to perform some spiritual cleansing to free himself from the spiritual grip of the deceased.

Fajemirokun said, “I met one Gboyega Daramola on TikTok. The agreement between Funmilayo and me was to go and meet him for spiritual cleansing. So when this man (Gboyega) did a spiritual consultation for me, he said Fumilayo was the one causing misfortune for me. So, he asked me to come with her.

“I went there with Funmilayo to his place at Ijebu-Ijesa. The man told Funmilayo that she had to do some rituals and instructed three men to take her to the bush to perform the rituals. It was in the bush that we killed her. The daughter went to the bush with us.

“After killing them, I ran to a mountain in Ikoyi. It was from there that I went to Ibadan. It was as if I was hypnotised. I never really wanted to do that. So, when we got there, I knew that they were going to kill her. I never knew they harvested their organs. I only heard that on the news, and that was when I decided to come back home.”

Stating the role he played in the incident, one of the two herbalists arrested in connection with the crime, James, said he met the two deceased on November 2, in the house of his boss, Daramola.

“I went to my boss’s house, where I met Victor, a woman, and a young girl. My boss (Daramola) told me that Victor had gone to an alfa before, where he was told that his woman friend had used his glory. So, he was there for them to kill his wife and his child.

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“So, my boss ordered me to kill them and threatened me. We took them to a bush where we used a knife to slit their throats. After that, we cut the woman into pieces,” James said.

Daramola, who allegedly gave the order for the killing, however, told PUNCH Metro that it was Fajemirokun who instructed them to kill the deceased, but denied being present when the crime was perpetrated.

Stating the facts of the case, Osun Police Command CP, Gotan, said Fajemirokun was reported missing on November 2 in Ikoyi, where he had gone to a mountain for prayers.

“Subsequently, through intelligence-led investigation and painstaking analysis, on the 16th November, 2025, one Gboyega Daramola ‘m’ a.k.a. ‘Aberefa’ was arrested and confirmed to be an herbalist. During his interrogation, he emphatically confessed that one Fajemirokun Victor ‘m’ was one of his customers, that on the 2nd November, 2025, a woman and her daughter were brought to him by Fajemirokun Victor ‘m’ for a money ritual, and the subject had been killed. He further mentioned one Sunday James ‘m’, one Kehinde, and one Idowu to be part of the killers.

“Furthermore, on Monday, 17th November, 2025, the suspect Gboyega Daramola ‘m’ a.k.a. “Aberefa” led the detectives to Esa-Odo Dam, Osun State, where the body of one Lasisi Funmilayo Oluwamayokun ‘f’ 38yrs was dumped, who happens to be a senior officer of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) serving in Ogun State.

“Thereafter, it was recovered and deposited at UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital Morgue for autopsy. Meanwhile, some vital parts of the body, such as the head, breast, two hands, private parts, and others were missing,” the CP said.

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Also in the course of the investigation, Gotan noted that on November 20, further credible intelligence led to the arrest of one of the principal suspects mentioned by the herbalist, one Sunday James, in Ekiti State, where he was hiding.

“During interrogation, he confessed to being the one who slaughtered both mother and her daughter on the instruction of his boss, herbalist, Gboyega Daramola a.k.a. Aberefa’ while the duo of Kehinde and Idowu were the ones who butchered the body.

“However, the suspect, Sunday James, led the detectives to recover the body of the daughter, Sewa Lasisi, from the bush where she was killed. Likewise, some vital parts of the body, such as the Head, the two hands, and the feet were missing. The remains were also deposited at UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital Morgue.

“However, it was gathered that Fajemirokun Victor, who masterminded the killing, had absconded from being arrested. Through the collaboration with Interpol, Victor Fajemirokun was apprehended in Ghana and repatriated to Nigeria,” Gotan further said.

Assuring that perpetrators of the crime would be taken to court after investigation had been concluded, the CP said efforts would be intensified to arrest others involved in the crime who have not been arrested.
(PUNCH)