Picture of the accident scene at Lokongoma Market on Thursday in Lokoja
By IBRAHIM MOMOH, Lokoja –
The Kogi State Government has vowed to prosecute the driver of an articulated truck involved in a fatal accident in Lokoja on Thursday.
The truck, carrying a container loaded with tractors, toppled over and crushed two cars. Authorities have blamed the driver for failing to properly secure the container to the truck, leading to the devastating incident.
The Secretary to Kogi state government, Dr Folashde Arike Ayoade, stated this while visiting the scene of the accident alongside other government officials including the Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo and the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omadara.
“The driver will be made to account for his actions for failing to do the right thing”, Dr. Ayoade said.
Our correspondent,who visited the scene reports that the victims –school children– were returning from their school graduation ceremony and were traveling in a Mitsubishi car with registration number Abuja RSH 242 FH. Their parents, made a stopover for some shopping while the children were in the car.
According to an eyewitness, the truck experienced brake failure and began rolling backwards, putting the children’s lives at risk. However, a fortunate turn of events occurred when a parked Corolla with registration number Kogi LMA 190 AA, owned by Adama, blocked the truck’s path, preventing it from crushing the car carrying the children. Unfortunately, the container still fell on both vehicles, causing significant damage.
The owner of the Corrolla car, who identified himself simply as Adama, said that all the eight children were successfully rescued out of the car without any or them sustaining any form of injury.
The SGS, who was full of praise to God and the people who helped to rescue the children said that the driver of the truck will be prosecuted for violating the law on latching the container on to the truck to prevent it from falling.
” I want to thank God most sincerely for sparing the lives of the children, these are children coming from their graduation ceremony and looking forward to starting their long holiday. I also want to on behalf of the state government that everyone who were involved in the rescue operation, it shows that Kogites are kind people, and the state government really appreciate every one for this” she said.
Dr. Ayoade disclosed that the children have been taken to the state Specialist Hospital for checking before they will be released to their families.
Also speaking, the Kogi State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omadara echoed the SGS position, that the driver will not go unpunished for not doing the right thing against the law of the state.
“We have warned repeatedly that every container should be latched on to the back of the truck carrying them, just like the SGS has said,he will be prosecuted”
The Sector commander of the state Federal Road Safety Corp, Sunday Samuel Oyedeji attributed the accident to brake failure.
He warned drivers to always do proper checking of their vehicles before hitting the road to prevent accident of this nature.
