Noises of agony rented the air on Tuesday morning at the premises of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Hospital (OLFCH), Jaleyemi, Osogbo over the death of about 10 Osogbo traders. The cause of the hysteria was an accident which occurred at Aroin village, Surulere local government of Oyo State involving traders from the popular Oluode market in Osogbo.
According to one of the survivors, the accident was not as a result of a collision with another vehicle, but because the driver fell unexpectedly asleep on his driving wheel, as he was about to negotiate a bend on the high way and veered off the road. The loss of control of the vehicle wheel caused it to somersault, leading to the death of six of the traders on spot, including the driver.
The dead victims were initially taken to the State Hospital, Asubiaro where they were rejected before they were brought back to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Hospital, Jaleyemi. Family members of the accident victims, friends and other traders thronged the Hospital en masse in agony all in a bid to identify friends and relatives involved in the accident. The victims were said to be returning from a business trip where they went to buy foodstuffs like yam flour, yams and rice at Ilesa Bariba, Kwara State amongst others.
During a visit to the hospital on Wednesday, OSUN DEFENDER was informed that some of the victims had been referred to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, while some were still under observation.
