Benin City, Edo State, has witnessed yet another dreadful incident as a pick-up truck and its passengers plunged into the Ovia River on Monday. Shockingly, this occurrence came just five days after a similar accident on the same bridge, where eleven lives were tragically lost due to a collision with a truck.
Similarly, it is reported that the accident resulted from a truck striking vehicles that had reduced their speed to cross the deteriorating bridge.
However, there are discrepancies regarding the vehicle that plunged into the river, as an eyewitness maintains that it was a fully loaded Sienna bus, while the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) provides a contradictory statement, identifying it as a Ford pick-up truck.
Read also: Ghastly Edo Crash: 11 Dead, Others Injured
The incident occurred just moments before the arrival of the Deputy Governor of the state, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu, who was visiting the site for inspection following the previous Thursday’s incident.
According to reports, he reportedly raised funds to support local divers in their search for survivors within the river, as well as acquiring a specialized vehicle capable of retrieving the submerged vehicle.
In response to inquiries, Paul Okpe, the Sector Commander of the FRSC, confirmed that rescue operations were underway and being coordinated by his personnel.
He stated that his team had been immediately dispatched from the Commission’s office at the old Toll Gate to the scene, and he expected to receive their comprehensive report at the end of the day.
His words: ‘Five vehicles were involved; the truck that hit them and four vehicles who had slowed down to pass the bridge. Three of them and the truck are except the one that plunged into the river. You know Ovia River is in a valley so vehicles especially trucks coming from both ends are always descending a slope and there are always small vehicles slowing down to access the bridge. I have been talking to the Federal Controller of Works and he has said they were going to fix it.’
‘So far, no life has been lost as the one person who was strapped in a Lexus Jeep when the truck ran into them has been rescued and he is in the hospital. The deputy governor was there and facilitated the mobilization of divers and a towing vehicle to the area. As I speak my men are still there so we have to wait until they are through with their efforts and those of the divers but they said the vehicle that plunged into the river was like a ford truck so we will wait for them to get the whole details.’
The frequent accidents occurring at this particular site scream the need for swift government intervention in repairing the dilapidated road infrastructure. By addressing this issue promptly, the government can effectively mitigate accidents and prioritize the safety of commuters.
