Mother, child crushed to death in Ibadan

A woman and her child were on Saturday morning crushed to death by a DAF truck at Oje Area of Ibadan, Oyo State when they fell down from a commercial motorcycle popularly referred to as Okada.

According to eyewitnesses’account, the driver of  a Volkswagen Jetta car had parked and suddenly opened the door of  his car, oblivious of the oncoming motorcyle.

The okada man reportedly fell with the woman and her child who were his passengers when the car door hit them.

An oncoming DAF truck with registration number Lagos XQ 362 BDG was reported to have run over the hapless passengers, killing the woman immediately, with the child seriously injured, while the rider sustained minor injuries.

The child was rushed to a nearby private hospital but was said to have given up the ghost before those who rescued her got to the hospital.

The drivers of  the car and the truck immediately fled the scene to avoid mob action, while the angry crowd set the Jetta car ablaze.

It was gathered that it took some time before the Divisional Police Officers of both Yemetu and Agugu Divisions, who went to the scene of  the incident, could restore calm to the area.

Police sources however said that the owner of  the Jetta car later reported at Yemetu Police station, saying that he had given the car to his mechanic to effect some repairs.

Meanwhile, two people suspected to have mobilised people to burn the Jetta car have been arrested by the police while the corpses of  the victims had been taken away by family members.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State ASP Femi Okanlawon, confirmed the story, saying that the police were investigating the case.

Written by Oluwatoyin MalikSunday, 30 October 2011