24 killed in auto crashes, 8 injured

It was a harvest of deaths from road accidents, yesterday, as a total of 24 people perished in two separate accidents that occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan and Benin-Lagos expressways.

In the Ibadan crash, no fewer than six persons lost their lives, while eight others sustained serious injuries.

Along the Benin-Lagos express road, a Toyota Hiace bus and a truck loaded with gravel were involved in a head-on collusion, killing 18 passengers.The incident occurred near Okada, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

It led to a serious gridlock as passengers and drivers made frantic effort to save the life of the victims.

These accidents are avoidable and they keep happening.  When will our drivers learn?

Nigerian Supreme Court Judge's Wife, Daughter Kidnapped

Justice and Mrs. Rhodes-Vivour

Nigerian media say gunmen have abducted the wife, daughter and driver of a supreme court judge, in the latest case of kidnappers targeting prominent Nigerians.

Nigerian news agencies quote authorities as saying the kidnapping happened late Friday in the southern state of Edo. The officials said the three were travelling to Edo's capital, Benin, to prepare for the daughter's wedding when gunmen intercepted their car.

The reports said the kidnappers had not yet contacted Supreme Court Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour's family to make any demands.

Abductions of prominent Nigerians have increased in the country's south in recent months, with the kidnappers typically demanding ransom payments from family members.

In December, the mother of Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was kidnapped in Delta state before being released five days later. It is not clear if a ransom was paid.

Kidnappings for ransom are a lucrative criminal enterprise in southern Nigeria, but in previous years most cases involved foreign oil workers.

Oshiomole to Chief Igbinedion: Behave yourself or I would deal with you

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Monday  warned the  Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, to stop undermining state laws.

Oshiomhole, at the inauguration  of 14 newly elected local government chairmen  in Benin,   said government had  the capacity and the will to contain Igbinedion’s excesses.

He also asked the state Independent Electoral Commission to tender unreserved apology to the people of the state for the lapses recorded in the local government election held on Saturday.

He said, “There is evidence that he (Igbinedion) has undermined the prosperity of the state for a very long time. Those who live in glass houses do not throw stones.

“I want to send a warning to Chief Igbinedion that he should take it easy;  he has acquired a lot of government land that the people have not engaged him on. He walks as if he is above the law. He was a chief tax collector in this state, pocketing 25 to 30 per cent of every kobo that accrued while his son was the governor.

“I have not looked back because my mandate is to look forward. I want to put him on notice that if he continues with elderly rascality, I will bring him to justice.

                                         Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole

Nigeria: Mass burial for 51 accident victims in Benin

The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) on Saturday performed a mass burial for the remains of 51 accident victims who were burnt beyond recognition.

The  victims were involved in multiple accidents which claimed more than 60 lives at Ogbogui village on the Benin-Lagos expressway on April 5.

The remains were interred at the First Cemetery in Benin, after being transported from the UBTH mortuary.

Edo accident: Lone survivor dies

The only survivor of the accident, which claimed almost 40 lives around Ugbogui, in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, on Friday, has died.

He died on Friday around 11:15pm at the Intensive Care Unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

May he get some rest now.

Multiple Accident Claims Over 50 Lives On Benin-Ore road

The scene

An accident which occurred on Friday afternoon in Ugbogui, Edo state claimed the lives of about 50 persons.

The tragedy occurred this afternoon when a diesel tanker and a trailer collided with a fully-loaded commercial luxury bus.

Eye witness accounts say the bus which was travelling from Lagos caught fire and the only three passengers were seen trying to escape the inferno but there are fears that they may not have survived the fire.