ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
A fatal road accident has killed nine persons, including the Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The accident which got several others injured, occured on Saturday along the Gloryland Drive at Igbogene area of Yenagoa, the state capital.
The victims were said to be on their way back to Sagbama from Yenagoa where they attended a wedding.
An eyewitness, identified simply as Destiny, claimed the speeding bus conveying the victims ran into a pothole along the road and somersaulted many times.
The eyewitness said that other vehicles behind the ill-fated Hiace bus allegedly rammed into it, causing multiple accidents.
“If the vehicle conveying them had not been speeding, the incident could have been avoided,” the source noted.
It has yet to ascertain the statuses and details of other persons killed in the accident and those that were injured beside the PDP stalwart.
Bayelsa State Police Command through its spokesperson Asinim Butswat confirmed the incident.
Butswat, a Superintendent of Police, said the traffic division of the command had taken the sketch marks at the scene and commenced investigation into the fatal accident.
He said: “The unfortunate accident occurred on Saturday, 4th December, 2021 at about 1700hours, along the Glory Land drive, Igbogene, involving a Toyota Hiace Bus with Reg No. AKL 652 YP and a Toyota Forerunner Jeep with Reg No. KMK 923 AA.
“The accidental cars were also evacuated to the Igbogene Division for further inspection. The corpses of the victims were deposited at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri while the injured passengers are responding to treatment at the same facility.”
Also speaking on the accident, the Chairman of the Sagbama Local Government Council, Hon. Embeleakpo Alale and the member representing Sagbama Constituency 1 Hon (Dr.) Godbless Nanaotumieyeseigha, after a visit to other victims receiving treatment at NDUTH, Okolobiri and Tobis Hospital, Yenagoa, expressed deep sadness over the accident.
“My thoughts are with the families of the bereaved. I am deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives of Sagbama origin or of any other human beings for that matter. We are monitoring the progress of survivors admitted in the hospital and will give whatever support we can.”