PANDEMONIUM: Mob sets truck ablaze as it crushes okada rider to death
Pandemonium broke out in Ijebu Ode, Ijebu Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State as an angry mob on Saturday set ablaze a refinery truck whose driver recklessly crushed an okada rider to death around old Ibadan road in Ijebu Ode area of Ogun.
Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta.
Akinbiyi explained that the accident occurred around 8 am, saying that it was caused by excessive speeding on the part of the driver of the truck as he ran over a moving motorcycle.
He noted that the accident involved three males; the motorcycle rider, the truck motor boy and driver.
Akinbiyi said: ” The truck was coming from Ago-Iwoye inbound Ijebu-Ode, when the driver, due to over speeding could not control the vehicle as it approached Ibadan road roundabout.
“It ran over the Bajaj motorcycle pillion rider (okada rider) who was trying to negotiate the roundabout at that time and killed him on the spot.
“The driver of the truck was later apprehended after making attempts to run away and was beaten to stupor by an angry mob who also set the truck on fire.
“But for the intervention of TRACE, police, NSCDC and FRSC, the driver could have been killed,” he said.
The TRACE spokesman added that the driver had been arrested and taken to Igbeba Motor Traffic Division, Ijebu-Ode, as well as the motor boy.
He explained that the body of the deceased had been deposited at the mortuary of Femtop Hospital, Ijebu-Ode.
He urged drivers of articulated vehicles to be more responsive when driving, maintain their vehicles properly and avoid excessive speeding especially when approaching a bend, corner and roundabout.
