Female Driver Crushes 8 People to Death in Lagos

 

It was weeping and mourning in Ilaje Road, Bariga area of Lagos State, after a female motorist in a LandCruiser Sport Utility Vehicle crushed a pregnant woman and seven others to death. Others among the dead were two siblings, an old woman and a man returning from his place of work.

 

However, Many others were also said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries, including fractures and broken limbs in the Saturday incident which happened around 9pm.

 

According to reports, it was learnt that the unnamed woman who is to celebrate her birthday on Sunday had taken to the wheels after her driver left the vehicle for her near Majok Filling Station on Ilaje Road and had left for his house.

 

The woman was about driving off when the car surged forward crushing pedestrians and killing four of them on the spot. A set of nine injured people were reportedly taken to the Gbagada General Hospital, among whom two died; while another set of seven casualties were later recovered. It was learnt that two more corpses were found in the gutter on Sunday morning.

 

Angry youths were said to have gone to the scene and dragged the woman out of the SUV and beat her up.

 

She was about to be lynched when some policemen from the Bariga Police Division intervened. A resident, identified as Iya Oyinbo, said the vehicle seemed to have had a brake failure.

 

She said, “The woman was driven to the Majok Filling Station by her driver after which the man left for his house and the woman moved to the driver’s seat to drive the vehicle home. What we saw was that the SUV suddenly surged forward and hit a pedestrian at the filling station.

 

According to a Punch report, Laide Olakune, a Keke Marwa driver, said he was lucky to have escaped, adding that his tricycle was badly damaged by the vehicle.

 

“Although my tricycle was damaged, neither me nor any of my passengers sustained injuries. The police wanted to take away my tricycle as part of evidence, but I refused because I need to repair it and put it back on the road so I can make a living,” he said.

 

A police source said the female driver, who was rescued with injuries, was recuperating in a private hospital in the area.

 

He said, “The woman is wealthy, and she was to celebrate her birthday on Sunday. The mob stripped her to the underwear and beat her up. She is recuperating in a hospital; her husband has showed up at the police station.

 

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that the matter was under investigation.

 

She said, “I am aware of the tragic incident. Three people died on the spot, while four others were in critical condition as of Sunday. We are investigating the case.”