Ghastly Motor Accident ,Claims 18 lives In Oyo

By Our Reporter

No fewer than eighteen persons, comprising 16 passengers and two drivers, have lost their lives in a ghastly road accident that occurred at Cattle Market, Iseyin, in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.

First Awareness learnt that the unfortunate accident occurred yesterday evening as a result of head-on-collision between two fully loaded Mazda buses on Ibadan- Iseyin Road.

According to an eyeswithness account, Hassan Abbey, who is a resident of Iseyin,“When we 

 got information about the accident ,we immediately rushed to the scene getting there, we tried to help.  We counted 18 dead bodies which included the two drivers of the two buses. So, we rushed others, who were injured to the hospitals. 

Those that survived  were 20 but they were badly injured"he said.

First Awareness  also gathered that,16 passengers and the two drivers died on the spot. 

The dead bodies, according to the information gathered  were taken to FADOK Hospital, near Iseyin Divisional Police Headquarters, Okutapemo, Iseyin.

Meanwhile, eight among nine members of an orthodox church in Ibadan, were said to have been among the 16 dead passengers after attending a function in Saki. 

A pastor of the church and eight of the church members were in one of the two buses involved in the accident. Sources said they were on their way from Saki to Ibadan, before the accident occurred in Iseyin. 

It was also gathered that, bodies of the eight church members were deposited at Our Lady Hospital in Iseyin. 

Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State, Winifred Chukwura who confirmed the accident said she has not yet known the number of casualties.

Meanwhile, Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba  Salawudeen Adekunle Oloogunebi Ajinese 1; and the National President, Iseyin Development Union (I.D.U), Alhaji Bayo Raji have called on Oyo State Government to install speed breakers at some locations of the road in order to check reckless driving.

Aseyin also appealed to motorists to always exercise patience bearing in mind that lives have no duplicates.

Alhaji Adeola on his part  advocated for erection of necessary road signals and speed breakers to guide users of the newly reconstructed road and prevent unnecessary accidents.