An undergraduate student of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun state simply called Dada was on Thursday crushed to death by a fuel tanker in Owode-Ede, along Gbongan-Ibadan road.
The unfortunate incident made residents especially the youths of the community to protest by burning tyres on the road thereby restricting vehicular movement.
According to an eyewitness that spoke to our correspondent about what led to the protest, he said that at about 9:30am, the driver of the fuel laden tanker who was plying on one way ran over the young man and ran away.
Continued the eye-witness, “The driver of the tanker was taking one way and was speeding. He ran over the boy who was returning from the cafeteria and crushed him to death. After the accident, the driver continued with his journey without looking back and some motorcyclists who were around the scene of the incident gave him a chase.”
He said the driver escaped as he ran into Zone XI police command in Osogbo but he was prevented from being manhandled by the police.
However, effort of the angry mob to get him released was thwarted by the police. The mob then started to protest.
PMParrotng also gathered that the accident was as a result of unavailability of speed breakers and absence of diversion sign on the busy road, which is currently being rehabilitated.
When our correspondent got to the scene of the incident, armed security men were seen on ground preventing breakdown of law and order while some protesters were also sighted close to the road.
Used tyres, logs and other items used to block the highway had, however, been removed, as police officers and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) with a police APC vehicle were stationed to prevent further protest.
A security agent, who spoke to our correspondent, said they got a distress call that vehicular movement was being disturbed in Owode and when they got to the scene, they were able to disperse the protesters and clear the blockages on the road.
When our correspondent checked at the Zone XI police command to find out the true picture of the incident and the whereabouts of the tanker driver and the tanker, he was directed to get update from the state police command’s headquarters.
The Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, Mrs Folashade Odoro, confirmed the incident and said that the tanker had been impounded by the VIO for inspection as investigation is ongoing on the incident.
The mutilated corpse of the victim (a student of Federal Polytechnic, Ede) was, however, reported to have been evacuated by his relatives, as the State Emergency Ambulance Services were alleged to have refused to remove his remains because of its gory and dismembered state.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
