… one in critical condition at Irrua Specialist Hospital
By Kingsley Ohens
In what is perhaps a most tragic turn of events in the lead up to the Edo State 2024 governorship election, the convoy of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, has crushed one Emmanuel Edionwe and four of his friends to death on Warrake Road around Uzebba axis in Owan West Local Government Area in Edo State.
The tragic accident which occurred on Thursday, has left the families of the deceased traumatised and devastated with many of them shattered by the fact that the victims were returning from a burial ceremony when they met their untimely death.
The bodies of four of the deceased victims were deposited at the Edo State University, Uzaurie Mortuary, in Etsako West Local Government Area.
It was gathered that Okpebholo’s convoy rammed into the victims’ silver Camry sedan car when they were attempting to negotiate a sharp bend on the road, with many eye-witnesses stating that the accident occurred as a result of reckless driving.
A relative of Emmanuel Edionwe, one of the deceased, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “We are devastated beyond words. Emmanuel was a good, easy going boy who should not be dead today.
“He and his friends were driving in the Silver Camry car. After the accident, we just learnt that five of them have died due to the collision with Okpebholo’s convoy.
” Emmanuel and four of his friends are dead. There is just one of them who is in critical condition and is now being nursed to life at the hospital.”
Noting that Edionwe died at the Irrua Specialist Hospital (ISH) in Irrua, where he was later transferred to for specialist care, he said: “It was officials of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) that evacuated the bodies from the scene of the accident. Four of them died yesterday. One died this morning. There is only one surviving person in critical condition.”
The source noted that Okpebholo sneaked to check on the victims in the hospital they had been rushed to in Auchi after the accident but that it was disheartening that the APC campaign council has refused to acknowledge the incident or even commiserate with the affected families.
“We feel really bad that the APC has not said anything about the accident. It is insensitive. No one who suffers such a loss should be left without closure,” he said, crying profusely.
