Chiemele Ezeobi, Emma Okonji and Becky Uba Umenyili
Protest erupted at the Ojodu area of Lagos State yesterday after a truck with Registration No. APP 438 YA driven by one Bolaji Kabiru rammed into students of Bab Fafunwa Millennium School, formerly Ojodu Grammar School, killing two, with many others sustaining varying degree of injuries.
While the two male students died on the spot, seven females and five males, totalling 12, sustained varying degrees of injuries.
With support of officers of the Federal Raod Safety Corps (FRSC), the two yet-to-be identified students were deposited at the morgue of the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, for autopsy, while the injured victims were taken to God’s Apple City Hospital, Ojodu Berger; St. Michael Hospital, Ojodu; and the Lagos State Emergency Hospital, Tollgate.
The incident, which happened on Ogunusi Road, Grammar School Bus-stop, triggered an angry mob, comprising mostly students and hoodlums, who stormed the divisional police station and unleashed mayhem
The truck, which was loaded with washing soap, ran into the students at about 3pm, knocking down unconfirmed number of students some of them from the Babs Fafunwa Millennium Senior Secondary School and killed over 10 of them on the spot.
Angered by the accident, youths sought to lynch the truck driver, but he was saved by Police from the Ojodu Police Station, who whisked him away to the police station.
According to an eye witness, the youths re-grouped and matched to the police station in their numbers, demanding that the driver be released. But when the police refused to release the driver, the youths went berserk and started vandalising cars parked in the police premises. While the action was going on, others went to the scene of the accident, and burnt down the truck. Other youths went into rampage and stopped all moving trucks and vandalised them in anger, without sparing some private vehicles that were on the road, close to the trucks at that time.
The situation caused pandemonium as motorists and traders along the Isheri road in Ojodu, scampered for safety, while car dealers and other traders had to lock up their shops for fear of attack by the angry youths.
It took the intervention of a reinforced group of policemen to calm the situation.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the 15 students have been deposited in a nearby hospital, while one of them is receiving treatment in a nearby hospital.
When THISDAY visited the police station, the Ojodu Divisional Police Officer (DPO) declined to make any comment.
Although there were conflicting stories that the truck failed brake while driving from Ojodu-Berger, heading towards Ogba on Isheri road and ran into the students who were crossing the road, another eyewitness told THISDAY that the truck driver was being chased by Road Safety officers. The witnessed said one of the FSRC officers jumped into the truck and started struggling the steering the truck driver. The eye witness said it was during the struggle that the truck driver lost control and ran into students at different intervals. The truck eventually stopped close to Excellent Hotel in Ogba, where it was eventually burnt down by angry youths.
However, Lagos sector command of the FRSC has denied the involvement of its officials in the incident.
Olabisi Sonusi of the FRSC Lagos command, in a statement, said 14 persons involved in the incident were taken to the hospital.
“An articulated truck was said to have lost control at Grammar School Bus stop along Ogunnusi road, Lagos today Tuesday 7th December, 2021 which caused the death of unverified number of students and leaving many injured,” the statement said.
“The men of FRSC were called upon by passerby to help intervene after the crash had happened. About seven of the victims were rescued and immediately taken to Lagos State Emergency Centre Ojota by FRSC personnel while another road user helped in carrying about seven (7) also to the same emergency centre.
“The general public should disregard the disgruntled information been circulated by some unscrupulous element that FRSC men caused the crash. We want to place on record that our men were not in any way involved in the cause of the crash as patrol activities was not ongoing along that axis as at the time of the crash.”
According to the statement, Olusegun Ogungbemide, sector commander, commiserated with the families of the deceased.
Confirming the incident, LASEMA DG/CEO, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu said after the agency received the distress call, preliminary information gathered revealed that the truck lost control and rammed into students.
He said: “The incident led to severe injuries to some victims, others were discovered dead. The number of fatalities and casualties could not be ascertained as at the time of reporting.
“This unfortunate incident provoked some bystanders into taking laws into their hand by attempting to lynch NPF, LASTMA Officials and other first responders at the scene, destroying vehicles and other properties.
“The attack by the miscreants led the emergency team to head back to base as the scene was insecure and unsafe for rescue and recovery operations.”
Also reacting to the incident, the state Police Spokesperson, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the driver of the truck has been arrested by the police and taken into custody.
He said: “The erring driver is in police custody and about eight injured victims have been taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Details about number of death are still sketchy.
“However, students in reaction, attacked the Ojodu Police Station wanting to carry out jungle justice on the arrested suspect.
“In the process, the rampaging students destroyed some vehicles parked at the police station.
“The violent students and hoodlums who joined them were dispersed professionally and normalcy has been restored. Investigation into the fatal motor/pedestrians accident has since commenced.”
Meanwhile, Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Executive Chairman, Mr David Olusegun Odunmbaku, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Jumu’ah Abiodun, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the truck accident.
