The tragedy occured in Iworoko town, few minutes drive from Ado- Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Saturday night after an articulated vehicle rammed into a market located at the centre of the town.
An Eyewitness said the truck was coming from Ifaki Ekiti when it lost control and rammed into the market at about 8pm on Saturday.
It was gathered that the truck, which was loaded the branded bags of rice of the Senator Representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, Tayo Alasoadura (APC) killed at least 15 people after a suspected break failure. Although casualty figures could not be ascertained as of the time of filing the report, a source said, “15 bodies had been recovered from the scene.”
One of the shops, a barbing saloon, had residents and students charging their cell phones inside it.
According to the sources, efforts to rescue others trapped under the truck were ongoing by sympathisers and traffic officials.
At the scene of the accident, bodies of the victims could be seen from where the truck reportedly lost control.
They added that a mini-commercial bus with passengers was crushed by the truck before ramming into the market.
Sympathisers, fire fighters, officers of road safety and the police engaged in the rescue operations which lasted till midnight.
The Iworoko youths barricaded the dual carriageway that passes through the community.
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An angry mob chased away a towing truck of the State Traffic Management Agency, saying that it had come too late to rescue the victims.
Officials of FRSC and the Policemen were seen at the scene to rescue injured victims and prevented angry youths from setting ablaze the truck.
A source said the situation would have been worse if students of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, residing in the community because of its proximity to their campus were around.
Addressing the chiefs and residents of the community, the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, expressed shock at the incident describing it as “highly unfortunate.”
The Alaworoko, Oba Michael Aladejana, was not available at the palace during the deputy governor’s visit.
Chiefs in the community received him.
Egbeyemi appealed for calm, saying: “The state governor condoles with families of those who have lost their loved ones.
“We pray for their souls to rest in peace. Government will also ensure that those who were wounded have their hospital bills paid for. We will also take care of other things.
“However, we appeal to our youths to calm down and not cause trouble. No one wishes for this kind of tragedy to happen.
“And no amount of anger and violence will bring back those died in this unfortunate incident. So, let us be calm.”
The corpses of were deposited at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) morgue while survivors were receiving treatment at the same hospital.
Egbeyemi, who also visited the hospital along Adebayo area of the state capital, told the doctors to commence treatment of the casualties, assuring the bills would be paid by the state government.
A worker in the hospital, who craved anonymity, added four casualties of the accident are receiving treatment at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital.
A huge crowd of mourning residents are still at the site of the crash at the time of filing this report.
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