23 die in Ondo tanker crash, Yola, Maiduguri blasts

NO fewer than 10 persons including a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) chief were on Wednesday killed in Owena community, near Akure, Ondo State capital when a petrol tanker veered off the road and rammed into a popular market in the town.

Also yesterday, a suicide bomber struck in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, killing an unspecified number of people.

This came as another female suicide bomber yesterday detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at a military post along Baga road that leads to Shagari Low-cost Housing Estate killing four people and injuring more than a dozen others. The incident occurred at about 6pm in Maiduguri.

Thursday’s blast occurred barely 24 hours after a twin blast at Baga Road and Tungushe village killed 16 people, leaving 19 others injured.

A resident of Yola, Salihu Aliyu, said that the blast occurred in front of the Jimeta main market at about 7:45pm.

He said the casualty figure is likely to be high because the explosion occurred at a time traders were on their way home.

Another witness said at least 10 people were killed and about 30 injured. The police could not be reached for comments before press time.

Shagari Low cost Housing Estate is five kilometres north of Maiduguri metropolis and near the Maiduguri Maximum Prison.

An eyewitness at the scene said the tanker was coming from Ilesa along Akure/Ilesa road when the accident occurred.

The Guardian gathered that the tanker’s brakes failed a few meters to Owena market and it eventually rammed into the town’s market situated along Ilesa/Akure Expressway.

Many of the casualties in the crash were said to be traders, artisans and drivers, who parked their vehicles by the roadside.

The victims were later taken to a hospital in Akure where some of them were confirmed dead, while those who sustained injuries are receiving treatment.

However, the tanker was still on the road when The Guardian visited the scene of the accident yesterday, while efforts were on to remove the vehicle from the spot.

The son of one of the victims, Ayodeji Adewale, who spoke with journalists, said his late father, Chief Ojo Adewale, a Special Marshal and Head of the Sector Command of Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) and his mother visited him in Owo and left for Osun State when the accident occurred. He added that his mother who is among the survivors was taken to the hospital while his father’s corpse has been deposited at a morgue in, Ife .

Attempts to reach the Head of Operations of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Malomo for further comments proved abortive as he could not be reached on his phone.