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Around 8 pm, on May 18, 2024, a trailer crashed into at least three buses and groups of students heading home from late exams at Imo State University junction, Owerri. The accident was reportedly caused by a brake failure, and the driver of the truck is missing and allegedly on the run.
The trailer allegedly belongs to the Dangote Group.
Is this the first time we’re seeing something like this?
No. In January 2021, a dangote truck loaded with cements claimed about 18 victims on its path when it crashed into shops and properties in the Akungba-Akoko area of Ondo state. Eight of the victims were students of Adekunle Ajasin University at Akungba-Akoko.
The resultant tension from students led to a temporal shutdown of the university. The company paid ₦500,000 to each family that was affected by the incident.
What is the public response to the accident at IMSU?
Social media is abuzz with condolences and agitations regarding the absence of laws that guide trailer activities and drivers’ accountability on the road.
Others have said that the junction is notorious for accidents and the government should build a flyover bridge to prevent a repeat in the future.
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Meanwhile, the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, released a press statement sharing his condolences and stating that investigations were underway, and the Ministry of Health would actively help in providing medical services.
Between 2020 to 2024, several bills and pleas have reached the Nigerian Senate regarding the use of firearms. The most recent bill came from Senator Ned Nwoko in January 2024. His bill called for the introduction of a law allowing civilians in Nigeria to own and carry firearms for self-defence stating insecurity as a major reason.
The requirements necessary for owning these firearms as proposed by Senator Nwoko included references from medical doctors, endorsement from local government officials, certification from traditional leaders, and confirmation by the Divisional Police Officer to verify the absence of criminal involvement among others. While this bill has passed its first reading and garnered strong support from other prominent figures, recent events paint this bill as a bad idea.
On Saturday, March 30 2024, the bodies of three dead and four injured children were recovered after a gunpowder explosion in Taraba state. The Commissioner of Police, Taraba State Command, CP David Iloyanomon confirmed the incident happened in Didango Geita, a community in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
What’s the full story?
The seven victims had reportedly gone to help on a rice farm belonging to the grandfather of one of the deceased. Things took a different turn when an explosion was heard at the site. The eyewitness who reported the event, Mallam Audu Danjuma, said the villagers broke into a panic thinking it was an IED explosion and contacted the police.
However, CP David Iloyonomon refuted this claim stating it was a gunpowder explosion from a Dane gun triggered by the children. According to him, the anti-bomb unit has carried out a thorough investigation and confirmed this. The Police commissioner further explained that a bombing or dynamite explosion would have blasted the children’s bodies beyond recognition, leaving no survivors. The positioning of the children’s bodies and pellets of gunpowder found at the scene also supports the police’s findings. This paints a clear picture of what happened and takes away the possibility of an IED explosion or an assailant.
The deceased children, all below the age of 12, were identified as Miracle Danjuma, Liyacheyan Bitrus, and Kefas Bitrus. The injured children, Joseph Danjuma, Leah Aluda, Godbless Hassan, and Christian Hassan, are receiving treatment at the state’s specialist hospital in Jalingo, the state capital.
This brings to question whether firearms are a solution to Nigeria’s insecurity problems or the beginning of many possible problems with accidents like this being one of them. Can the Senate trust Nigerians to only use guns for self-defence and to keep them far away from children or should we potentially expect more cases like this?
Negligence by Nigerian administrators continues to cost lives annually, with incidences that should be freak accidents becoming the norm for many Nigerians.
On January 29, 2023, one such freak occurrence happened when a truck carrying a 20 ft container fell on a commercial bus at the Ojuelegba bridge.
According to eyewitnesses, the container-laden truck was driving at high speed and lost control while trying to overtake the commercial bus. After evacuation efforts, only one of the nine passengers was found alive.
This isn’t the first, second or fourth time an accident of this nature has happened at the Ojuelegba bridge, and it’s baffling that the government’s not trying to solve a problem claiming the lives of its citizens.
Here’s a timeline of accidents on the Ojuelegba bridge so far
November 2014
In 2014, a container fell off a trailer while trying to climb the flyover. The container landed on a commercial bus under the bridge, but fortunately, no lives were lost.
September 2015
Sadly, the accident victims on this particular day weren’t as lucky. Around 4:45 pm, a heavy-duty container skidded off the bridge and landed on three cars: an SUV, a Toyota Corolla and a Nissan saloon.
Source: pulse.ng
The three drivers were all crushed to death, and many eyewitnesses reported that the reason for this accident was that the container wasn’t latched on properly. Unfortunately, this is another instance where people have lost their lives for preventable reasons.
June 2016
Another container fell off a trailer on the Ojuelegba bridge, but thankfully, no lives were lost this time.
Source: newsheadlines.com.ng
July 2017
On July 8, 2017, seven church members on their way back from a programme were victims of a fatal accident which claimed five lives immediately. A truck carrying a 40 ft container filled with plywood lost pressure in two of its tyres. This made the container tilt till it eventually fell on the vehicle containing the returning church members.
July 2018
Again, another accident involving a container happened on the Ojuelegba bridge, and three lives were lost, with four others injured. A container overloaded with plywood was trying to climb the flyover and, in the process, unfortunately, fell over and spilt its contents on the three commercial buses and one car under the bridge.
April 2019
In 2019, while trying to climb the Ojuelegba bridge with his trailer, he realised that the vehicle was moving backwards and couldn’t stop. Although no one lost their lives, seven cars were damaged.
August 2020
In 2020, two women, Chidinma Ajoku and Chima Nnaekpe were on their way from work when a container fell on the bus they boarded and crushed them both to death. Before this accident, Chidinma was expected to travel out soon as she had secured admission to a university in the United Kingdom, but tragically, her dreams were never realised.
September 2021
On September 20, 2021, a container fell off a truck onto a moving vehicle and trapped four people in the process.
Source: gazettengr.com
According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the container developed a mechanical fault, which caused it to trip over onto the vehicle. The victims were, thankfully, all evacuated alive.
April 2022
On April 3, 2022, a container-laden truck again fell off the bridge and landed on a Honda accord. Unfortunately, the driver didn’t survive this incident as he was crushed to death.
As we can see clearly, these incidents aren’t isolated. They have happened at least once every year for the past nine years, and it’s ridiculous that the government hasn’t properly addressed this problem.
What’s the government saying?
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
The FRSC put out a statement recommending the construction of barricades against vehicles like trailers, tankers and trucks.
The Lagos state government.
In a statement signed by Dr Frederic Oladeinde, the Lagos Commissioner for Transportation, the Lagos state government expressed sympathies to the victims’ families and promised to run investigations to avoid future occurrences. He also mentioned working with the Federal Ministry of Housing and Works to install barriers on the bridge.
While this seems promising, it would not be the first time his administration would be promising such, and at this point, Lagosians want solutions not sympathy.
It seems like our government walks on a fine line between negligence and wickedness with little to no regard for lives. So, we should remember this pain and the unjustifiable deaths when we choose the candidate to vote for in the upcoming elections.
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