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How we escaped death in Ibadan fatal accident -Traders

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Survivors and traders at Eleyele Market, Ibadan have revealed how they escaped death in a fatal accident that occurred at Eleyele Junction in the city on Wednesday, resulting in the loss of two lives while six others were injured.

The incident occurred at the peak traffic hours, causing disruption in the area. The scene was chaotic, with bystanders rushing to help the victims while others called for emergency services.

Security agents arrived quickly at the scene while emergency responders worked to transport the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment. The two deceased persons were said to have been pronounced dead on arrival.

The accident has raised concerns among residents about road safety measures at the busy junction. But in the aftermath of the accident, some traders and survivors have narrated their ordeal during the sad incident.

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Speaking with our correspondent, a transporter at Eleyele garage, Isiaka Awoyemi, said he would have also died in the accident if his bus was loading at the time the accident occurred.

He said: “I was sitting down there when the incident occurred. I packed my bus inside the garage. We all ran for our lives because it was sudden and unexpected.

“I also would have died if not for God that saved me.”

He added: “One of the women that died just got to the market in the morning. She went to buy food, and on her way back to her seat, the truck crushed her.

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“Although she also tried to escape, she could not. After the incident, when we all got back from where we ran to, we carried her, unknown to us that the truck had also crushed the head of another woman who was sitting down there.

“Some of the victims who were seriously injured are currently at UCH (University College Hospital, Ibadan) while others with minor injuries are in a nearby hospital

“Two people died. One was buried yesterday. Her mother has heard about the incident. Her father died only recently.

“She had four children and her children are still small. We tried to rescue her. We took her to the hospital but we were told she had already died.

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“They said her waist was broken.”

Another trader at the market, Mrs. Fatimoh Bakare, who also witnessed the accident, said: “We cannot explain how it happened. We were sitting down with our respective goods. Then suddenly we heard a loud noise.

“We ran and most of us fell down. It was just like a film. I was also injured.

“Kazeem Bolanle, who is a brother to me, is currently at UCH. His two legs were broken.

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She said: “We sat down and were backing the road. Then we just heard the sound. God saved me. I don’t even know how I fell down and escaped.”

Our reporter, who also visited Arike Hospital, Eleyele Junction, Ibadan where two victims were taken gathered that the two victims had been discharged and had gone home.

Efforts made by our reporter to get the reactions of injured victims at the University College Hospital (UCH) Emergency Unit were abortive as access to the victims was denied by the security people on ground.

Meanwhile, one of the traders at the market, Mrs Sakirat Kazeem, has revealed her last moment with one of the deceased persons popularly known as “Iya Alfa”, describing the deceased as a lovely and kind-hearted woman.

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She said: “We called her Iya Alfa. She was a senior wife to me. She was a good woman. In fact, at times, she paid the transport fare for my goods when I didn’t have money.

“She didn’t use to come to the market every day; she only came every five days. She used to come from Ido market. She would bring whatever she bought at Ido market here to sell.

“The day the accident occurred was the first day she would come to the market since the beginning of this year.

“When she came in the morning, she greeted me happy new year, and I also responded.

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“There is nothing someone can do without God. I can’t even explain how I escaped, because I was also at the scene of the incident

“When I saw the truck coming, I jumped and held a poll. I started shouting Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ. I jumped away despite the fact that I didn’t have the strength to jump.

The Iyaloja (market leader) of Eleyele Market, Alhaja Ganiyat Adekola and Chairman of the garage, Wasiu Lamidi, while speaking with The Nation, said those that died or got injured were not roadside traders, adding that the truck crushed them inside the garage following brake failure.

They urged the state government to provide a large space for traders to serve as a market for them instead of using the garage, to forestall future reoccurrence.

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“We need a proper market so that our people will stop using the garage as market. Also, the VIO should enlighten truck drivers on how to drive the truck.

“The boy who drove the truck was too small. Anybody who would drive a truck should be mature and have enough experience.”

As the community mourns the loss of life and supports the injured, it is clear that this tragic event has sparked a renewed commitment to road safety in Ibadan.

Residents hope that through collaboration and proactive measures, they can create a safer environment for all road users. The memory of the victims will serve as a catalyst for change, urging everyone to prioritise safety on the roads.

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Community leaders and concerned citizens within the area have begun to discuss potential solutions to enhance safety at Eleyele Junction, emphasising the need for increased awareness among drivers and the importance of adhering to traffic regulations.

Some residents suggested organising a community-led campaign to educate drivers on safe driving practices, particularly in high-traffic areas. The discussion highlighted the collective responsibility of both authorities and citizens in ensuring road safety.

Officials acknowledged the community’s concerns and have pledged to take action to improve safety measures. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers present on the roads and the urgent need for effective interventions to prevent future accidents.

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Security Personnel Shoots Himself Trying To Nab Suspect In Abuja

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

There was tension on Wednesday As vigilante operating at Dei-Dei community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mujahid Ibrahim (32), has reportedly shot himself while trailing a suspect in the area. Abuja Metro learnt that the bullets from his rifle injured him around his feet, with at least seven cartridges extracted from his body

He was said to be awaiting x-ray results for the possibility of more cartridges in his body.

The incident took place around 12 am in the early hours of Wednesday when the victim and his colleague intercepted a resident in the neighbourhood, they were guarding for working at late hours.

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Speaking yesterday at the Kubwa General Hospital, where he was rushed to, Ibrahim said the suspect came around 12 am against the 11 pm, which was agreed upon by the members of the community.

“My colleague, who attended to him, tried in vain to make him understand the rule, but instead for him to cooperate, he resorted to violence and in an effort to scare him, I cooked my rifle pointing toward the sky. I later withdrew the rifle back to my shoulder, but forgot to pull it back and in the process of running toward him as the man was having a scuffle with my colleague, the gun fired out some bullets that hit me around my feet,’’ he said

Also speaking, his colleague, who accompanied him to the hospital, Ben Isaac, said following the incident, the resident in question disappeared but his elder brother has taken all the responsibilities including the treatment charges.

He added that a 24- hour warning was issued to him to appear or get arrested.

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Just in: INEC dumps recall petition against Sen Natasha

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The Independent National Electoral Commission,( INEC) has rejected the petition to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, inadequate.

The electoral umpire via its 𝕏 handle on Thursday, April 3, 2025, made this known in a terse statement where it disclosed that the group, who initiated the process did not meet the requirements of the constitution.

INEC in a tweet on its ‘X’ handle said; “The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)”.

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US cancels ex- president ,Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias visa

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A former president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, says his US visa has been revoked.

Arias, a Nobel laureate, said he was informed of the decision weeks after he had publicly criticised Donald Trump, comparing the behaviour of the US president to that of a Roman emperor.

The 84-year-old, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in brokering an end to conflicts in Central America, said US authorities had given no explanation.

Arias hinted, however, that it may be due to his rapprochement with China during the time he was president from 2006 to 2010.

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Speaking at a news conference in the Costa Rican capital, San José, Arias said he had “no idea” what the reason for the cancellation was.

He said he had received a “terse” email “of a few lines” from the US government informing him of the decision.

He added that he thought that it was not President Trump but the US State Department, which had taken the decision.

While he said it would be conjecture on his part to speculate about the reason behind the visa revocation, he did point out that “I established diplomatic relations with China.

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“That, of course, is known throughout the world,” he told journalists of his 2007 decision to cut ties with Taiwan and establish them with China instead.

The Trump administration has sought to oppose China’s influence in the Western hemisphere and has accused a number of Central American governments of cosying up to the Chinese government and Chinese companies.

However, it has been supportive of the current Costa Rican President, Rodrigo Chaves, praising his decision to exclude Chinese firms from participating in the development of 5G in Costa Rica.

But this perceived closeness between President Chaves and the US was criticised by Arias, who wrote a post on social media in February saying that “it has never been easy for a small country to disagree with the US government, less so when its president behaves like a Roman emperor, telling the rest of the world what to do”.

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He added that “during my governments, Costa Rica never received orders from Washington as if we were a banana republic.”

Arias is not the only Costa Rican to have had his US visa revoked. Three members of the country’s national assembly who opposed President Chaves’s decree to exclude Chinese companies from participating in the development of 5G have also had theirs cancelled. [BBC]

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