By Ayodele Oni
The Federal Road Safety Commission’s, (FRSC) Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has deployed Safety Engineers to the University town of Akungba in Ondo State, following Saturday’s accident in which people including students lost their lives.
Their mission is to ascertain the cause and recommend solutions to incessant trailer crashes that have bedevilled that particular route of the highway.
This is in addition to an Ambulance rescue point earlier established close to the notorious spot for prompt rescue operations.
According to Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, the deployment of the personnel came as part of strategic proactive step by the Corps Marshal to mitigate incidences of crashes on the highways.
This is just as Identities of some of the victims of the accident are being released.
The Corps Marshal, who spoke on the readiness of the Corps to bring road traffic crashes to an end in Nigeria lamented the fatalities recorded in recent times on our roads, promising that the Corps will double its efforts to eradicate crashes, particularly those by articulated vehicles.
According to him, the crash was caused by break failure that resulted in loss of control and involved a Dangote truck, a Suzuki mini bus (XB973KAA) and a Lexus saloon car (KWL 522 AY) conveying a total of 18 passengers comprising of 11 female adults and 7 male adults.
He put the number of dead at nine, comprising of five female adults and three male adults, while a total of nine persons comprising of five female adults and four male adults, sustained various injuries.
The FRSC rescue team deposited the remains of six of the passengers who got killed at Ikare Specialist Hospital Morgue and took six injured for urgent medical attention at the emergency ward of the same hospital, while others were taken away by the police team.
“With the deployment of these professional and certified safety engineers, I am optimistic that the general factors responsible for road crashes on that route will surely be ascertained, and when that is done, necessary actions will be taking by appropriate agencies” he added.
Among the deceased already identified was a former Student Union President of the Adekunle Ajasin University , Akungba, Adesomoju Samuel Tobi popularly known as “Sampraise”.
He was a 500 level law student before his demise.
Three siblings of the same parent, who were in one of the shops that were crushed by the trailer were also among the dead.
