ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Five persons, including a 73-year-old woman, have died in a fatal road accident in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The accident occurred along the Tombia-Amassoma Road.
It was learnt that the dead victims were three females and two males.
The accident caused gridlock for hours along the road leading to the state-owned Niger Delta University and the Bayelsa International Airport.
Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr Asinim Butswat, confirmed the development.
He said the accident involved a Toyota Venza with plate number KMK 617 BY and two tricycles with plate numbers NSK 073 QH and LND 223 QH.
Butswat said: “Five corpses were evacuated from the scene and three of them have been identified as Okon Daniel, ‘m’ 47 years, Oweinkuro Profit ‘m’ 52 years and Mrs. Domoye Ikpaipai ‘f’ 73 years.
“The other two corpses are a middle-aged male and female.”
One of the victims has also been identified as a staff member of a popular club in Yenagoa, Asters.
Butswat also said that police operatives were on the trail of one Buthurst Nyoun, the driver of the Toyota Venza that allegedly caused the accident.
She was said to have absconded from the scene.
“The police have launched a manhunt for the accused female who drove the Toyota Venza for possible culpable homicide. Investigation is ongoing to arrest the fleeing woman. The sketch marks of the accident scene have been taken and investigation is ongoing,” the police spokesman stated.
Also, an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state, Mr. Soroh Tonye, who confirmed the number of causalities to our correspondent, said that four persons died on the spot, while another victim died on the way to the hospital.
The FRSC official also attributed the cause of the accident to speeding.
He said other victims of the accident were currently receiving treatment at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri.