Three Die in Ondo Road Accident, Gunmen Kill Popular Businessman

Fidelis David in Akure

Tragedy struck yesterday as three persons were killed in an accident that occurred close to the Federal Government Girls College on the Akure-Owo highway in Akure, Ondo State.

The accident involved a Toyota Sienna van with registration number: LND778YG and another Hummer bus with registration number:  KTN 298 YJ.

Witnesses told THISDAY that the accident was as a result of head-on collision of both vehicles, noting that the two passengers on the Toyota Sienna, including the driver, died.

He said the driver of the Toyota Sienna attempted to overtake a trailer on the single lane highway when he collided with the Hummer bus coming from Lagos State.

When contacted, the Ondo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Ezekiel SonAllah, said 15 people comprising 12 male adult and three female adult were involved in the accident.

He said: “12 people-nine male adult and three female adult were injured while three male adult died.”

SonAllah  described the cause of the accident as wrongful overtaking and  speed violation, adding that the injured victims were taken to General Hospital, Akure, now known as Ondo State University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), for treatment while the dead bodies were deposited at the same hospital mortuary.  

According to him, “I wish to call on the public to avoid traveling in the night because of the hazard associated with night traveling. Drivers are strongly called to avoid speeding above the specified speed limit.” 

All vehicle owners, more especially commercial drivers, must install speed limit device. Passengers have responsibility to report any driver that does not obey traffic rules and regulations while plying on the road.”

Meanwhile, suspected kidnappers have allegedly killed a popular cream dealer, Augustine Okoye, in Ugbe Akoko in Akoko Northeast Local Government Area of the state.

THISDAY gathered that Okoye was abducted alongside his wife on the Isua-Ise Akoko road.

It was learnt that the kidnappers killed their victim after collecting an undisclosed amount of ransom from the family of the man but freed the wife.

The wife disclosed that their abductors warned her not to tell anyone the mode of ransom negotiation and  payment,  otherwise she will also be killed.

A police source in Ikare Akoko confirmed the incident, saying the Avalon car the victims were using for their business had been recovered from the scene of the incident.

The source also disclosed that the police, Amotekun corps and the local vigilance groups are now combing the forest to recover the dead body and also apprehend the culprits.