The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, expressed deep sorrow over the death of a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, Oluwatosin Abidakun, who lost her life in a road crash involving an articulated truck in Ibadan on Monday.
The PUNCH reports that the late serving member was crushed to death while several other persons sustained varying degrees of injuries after a trailer reportedly rammed into multiple vehicles around the Agodi Gardens, in Ibadan North Local Government Area of the state, on Monday.
The deceased, who had recently resumed her primary assignment at the state House of Assembly, was on her way home after the day’s work with another corps member, who also recently resumed service at the Assembly, when the incident occurred.
The two corps members were reportedly riding on the same motorcycle when an articulated truck rammed into them. While Oluwatosin Abidakun died in the crash, her fellow corps member sustained injuries and is currently receiving medical attention at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
However, the Speaker, in a statement in Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday, described the incident as “a painful and devastating loss,” noting that “the death of the young corps member was particularly heartbreaking given that she had only just begun her national service with hopes and aspirations for the future.
“The life of a promising young Nigerian had been cut short in such tragic circumstances. The incident is a loss not only to her family and friends but also to the state House of Assembly, where she had recently commenced her service year.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, friends, colleagues and fellow corps members of the deceased, and pray that Almighty God would grant them the strength and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. I also express concern over the condition of the surviving corps member, and pray for a speedy and complete recovery,” the speaker prayed.
Meanwhile, investigations by PUNCH Online had earlier revealed that the truck driver had allegedly crushed several vehicles around the Sango area, in the same local government area, before heading towards the Agodi Gardens, where the trailer reportedly rammed into a motorcycle, killing the corps member on the spot.
One of the eyewitnesses said, “The articulated vehicle had been involved in multiple collisions around Sango before this fatal incident occurred. The truck driver had reportedly hit several vehicles around Sango before proceeding towards Agodi.”
Another eyewitness said, “The situation took a fatal turn when the truck reached the Agodi Gardens area and rammed into a motorcycle carrying the corps member. The truck eventually hit the motorcycle, killing the NYSC corps member, while several other people sustained injuries.
“The driver was allegedly attempting to escape after the earlier collisions before the incident near Agodi Gardens.”
Our correspondent, who visited the scene, observed that Federal Road Safety Corps members arrived and confirmed that the injured had been taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
The FRSC state sector commandant, Kehinde Dahunsi, confirmed the incident when The PUNCH contacted him by phone in Ibadan.
Dahunsi said, “Yes, it was true. It was only one corps member, a female, who died so far, because the corps member was on a motorcycle. The motorcycle rider broke his leg. And we have evacuated them. The corps member was taken to the Adeoyo Hospital morgue, while the other person was rescued and taken to the University College Hospital. The truck hit the motorcycle. And our men (FRSC members) were there to evaluate them.”
On whether the truck driver had earlier crushed some vehicles in Sango, the state FRSC sector commandant said, “That’s what we were hearing: that he crushed some vehicles, and those people – the drivers of the vehicles he crushed were pursuing him. So, he now went and hit the motorcycle that carried a corps member.”