A truck fully loaded with All Progressives Congress (APC) bags of rice branded, Saturday night, lost control in Ekiti State and killed over a dozens people, including a mother and her little baby
At the last count, no fewer than 15 persons were confirmed dead in the accident that occurred at Iworoko Ekiti, near Ado Ekiti.
Among the dead was a mother, her child, a Youth Corps member, traders and some students of the Ekiti State University in the town.
According to eye-witnesses, the crash occurred around 9:00 p.m. when the truck lost control and rammed into a popular market in the town. It crashed into three shops, a commercial bus filled with passengers and traders at the ever-busy market.
The accident drew a huge crowd of sympathisers who besieged the scene on Sunday morning enraged over the mindless deaths. The timely arrival of Ekiti Deputy Governor, Bisi Egbeyemi, prevented some angry youths from carrying out a mob action.
The deputy governor commiserated with the families who lost their loved ones and the injured receiving treatment at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, (EKSUTH).
He appealed for calm, saying government was deeply touched by the crash and the number of lives lost.
“The state governor condoles with families of those who have lost dear ones. We pray for their souls to rest in peace.
“Government will also ensure that those who were wounded have their hospital bills paid for.
“However, we appeal to our youths to exercise restraint and calm down by not causing trouble. No one wishes for this kind of tragedy to happen.
“And no amount of anger and violence will bring back those already dead. So let us be calm, ” he said.
The deputy governor who visited the injured at the hospital, assured the hospital that their bills would be paid by the state government.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said he would address the media as soon as full details of the accident were made available to the command.