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Lagos Train Crash: Bus Driver Was Using Earpiece — Eyewitness

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1 year ago

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Tragedy struck in Lagos a few minutes before 8 am on Thursday when a passenger train collided with a fully-loaded staff bus belonging to the Lagos State Government at the PWD rail crossing, off the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and the Nigerian Railway Corporation have blamed the driver of a Lagos State Government staff bus for the fatal train accident which killed six people and injured 96.

The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, told journalists that the bus driver ignored signals from the NRC officials as he was in a hurry to cross the rail.

The ill-fated bus with registration no 04A- 48LA was navigating its way to connect the Government Residential Area, Ikeja en route to the state secretariat, Alausa, when it collided with the train at the PWD rail crossing.

The bus was said to be coming from Isolo while the train was heading to Ido from Ijoko, Ogun State.

The Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, said the teaching hospital admitted 102 victims of the crash.

Fabamwo described the experience as overwhelming, he said the hospital received 85 victims at once.

He revealed that the health facility embarked on open space treatment also known as triage, which he said is the world’s best practice in emergencies.

He said triage was the best option because the hospital’s emergency unit only has 30-bed spaces and that some other patients were already occupying some of the beds before the crash victims were brought in. Fabamwo revealed that six deaths were recorded in the crash. Two died at the scene of the accident, four others died later in the hospital.

EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT

A trader around the rail track, Mrs. Chika Joe, said that it was like a dream how the accident occurred.

She said, “I saw the bus driver driving through the crossing as the train came from the right. The flag bearers were shouting and blowing their whistles, asking him not to make the move, but somehow, he was in so much hurry.

“In a few minutes, we saw how the train carried this bus down the other side of the level crossing. Parts of the bus smashed into a fence. I have never seen anything like that in my life.”

Joe added that she saw a man attempting to jump off but was hit by a fence, causing him to fall off the train and onto the track.

She said residents of the area rushed to the rescue but he had already been badly injured by the metal fence.

“I saw one woman covered in a pool of her own blood. She had hit her head on a slab of stone. Everyone was panicking. I could not open my shop for more than three hours because of the crash,” she added.

Another eyewitness claimed that the bus driver did not hear the noise of the whistle from the level crosser and the other bus driver because he had something plugged in his ears.

He said, “The man (driver) was not focused. He plugged in a device in his ears that did not allow him to hear the noise. I could hear it from the other end of PWD where I was. It is still a wonder why he couldn’t hear it.

“I rushed to the scene to see what I could do but I broke down crying. I saw young people. I saw women, covered in blood. A middle-aged man just sat on the floor. He couldn’t even stand when we tried to help him. His legs were shaking.”

Another eyewitness, Steven Samson, said, “The train was moving at top speed when the bus was about to navigate the rail into GRA. And by the time he got to the middle of the rail, he could not move fast away from the rail track and that was where the train met the bus.

“The train dragged the bus on the rail line from PWD to Shogunle before it stopped. Although, he was flagged down by the man manning that point but the driver probably did not see it or maybe he ignored it and thought he had the time to cross before the train approached him.”

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BIG STORY

Court Sentence FCMB Branch Manager To 121 Years In Prison For Embezzling N112million From Customer’s Account In Anambra

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8 hours ago

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May 4, 2024

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One of FCMB’s employees was sentenced to prison for fraud and embezzlement, which was the worst shock of the year for the prestigious financial organisation in Nigeria.

Mr. Nwachukwu Placidus, the bank manager at First City Monument Bank FCMB, Onitsha, Anambra State, was sentenced to 121 years in prison by Justice S. Odili at the Anambra State High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, for embezzling N112 million from a customer’s fixed deposit account.

A former manager of the First City Monument Bank branch in Onitsha was found guilty and sentenced to 121 years in prison for stealing N112,100,000 in fixed deposit money from a customer for personal use.

The honourable justices delivered the verdict that resulted in this outcome. This is tantamount to a breach of trust by the former manager which has attracted a huge jail term.

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BIG STORY

Lagos Government Intensifies Effort To Arrest Dolphin Underbridge Illegal Landlord

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8 hours ago

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May 4, 2024

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The Lagos State Government has launched a manhunt for the individual who gave the apartments to tenants under the Ikoyi bridge after 36 illegal residents of the Dolphin underbridge bridge were apprehended.

It further revealed that during the clearance operation, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), the ministry’s enforcement unit, arrested no fewer than 36 renters.

Tokunbo Wahab, the commissioner for the environment and water resources, revealed this on Friday at a briefing for reporters regarding the government’s actions through the ministry during the previous year.

He said: “Just about 24 hours ago, the operatives carried out an operation that unearthed a major illegal housing settlement constructed under the Dolphin Bridge Ikoyi.

“An unbelievable 80 rooms partitioned 10×10 and 10×12 and a container used for different illegal activities was also discovered.

“All the structures have been dismantled and a total of 36 miscreants who lived under the were arrested while efforts are being intensified to arrest the ring leaders who rented out the underbridge apartments which also add electricity supply,” it added.

The state government had earlier dislodged tenants under Dolphins Estate Bridge, who paid N250, 000 annually to yet to be identified landlords.

The tenants, who were dislodged in the process were discovered during an enforcement exercise by officials of the state government during demolition of illegal structures.

He added that the enforcement team of Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had successfully removed all structures, including a container utilised for various illegal activities, from beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge.

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BIG STORY

Olubadan: New Twist As Ladoja, Kingmakers Disagree On Settlement Terms

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23 hours ago

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May 3, 2024

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The enthronement of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland, took a new turn yesterday when the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, the former governor of Oyo State, and other kingmakers couldn’t agree on the terms of settlement that would have made the enthronement process easier.

While entertaining Mogajis in Ibadanland led by Chief Asimiyu Ariori in his Bodija residence, Ladoja indicated his willingness to drop the lawsuit he had brought against Olubadan-in-Council members, provided that both sides agreed to sign the settlement conditions as they were written.

He said: “Myself and other members of Olubadan-in-Council have been sitting together and talking. We have accepted to withdrawal the case.

“I heard that they have started signing the agreement. After all of them have signed, I will also sign my own aspect, and the next day, we will file for withdrawal of the case from court.

However, other members of Olubadan-in-Council who are defendants in the suit have argued that there is no need for signing of any terms of settlement paper, as they have already abided by the 1957 declaration.

A meeting held yesterday at Olubadan palace, Oja’ba was attended by Osi Balogun, Oba Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe; Asipa Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi; Asipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola; Ekerin Balogun, Oba John Isioye-Dada and Ekaarun Olubadan, Oba Adebayo Akande.

The Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja; Osi Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole; Otun Balogun Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade Salaudeen and Ekaarun Balogun, Oba Abiodun Azeeez were absent.

Oba Adebimpe, speaking on behalf of other members of the council in attendance at the meeting, said event had overtaken the terms of reference as contained in the agreement paper, hence no need to sign it.

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