Fatal Accident: 5 Escape Death In Bori, Okada Riders Protest, Police Make Arrest, Impound Motorcycles
On Tuesday, January 16, 2024, an avoidable accident between a tipper and waggon taxi occurred on the hospital road in Bori, Khana local government area of Rivers, causing irreparable damages and various degrees of injury to the victims.
It was not the first time an accident would occur on that very spot, but the most recent one is significant, albeit for the reason that the police did block the motorway, causing drivers to take one way.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the accident, observed that the tipper was driving in its own lane, while the waggon taxi was using a different lane because of the deliberate decision of the police to shut down one lane of the dual carriageway, forcing motorists to drive one way.
The road was deliberately blocked during the end of the SARS movement in 2021 to forestall any attacks on the police station, and since then, the road has not been reopened for road users.
Five people escaped death but were fatally injured and admitted to an undisclosed hospital in Bori. One of the brothers of the victim, Mr. Sorle Nwiwari from Kaani-Babbe, cried out to the state government and federal officials to come to their aid, saying that his brother, who went out to look for his daily bread, has been badly injured. He frowned at the decision of the police to
The incident triggered Okada Riders to barricade the road, demanding justice, which prompted the police to arrest the Okada Riders and their motorcycle.
Attempt by our correspondent to get the reaction of the police, proof abortive, as we couldn’t get to the police hierarchy in Bori. When we contacted the federal road safety commission (FRSC), they said that they don’t have an office in Bori and that they only have one in the Tai local government area, and that since the matter happened by the police station, the police will handle it since it’s not causing traffic obstruction.
As of the time of filing this report, the accident tipper is still at the motorway, while the other car has been allegedly toy to the police station. Also, the driver of the tipper excaped and has not been found till now, and efforts to ascertain the owner of the vehicle proved abortive, as the tipper registration number Ach720XA is valid but hasn’t be assigned to anyone according to the verification portal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC.
A motorist, Mr. Betam Nwibari, blamed the government and elites of the Khana local government and Ogoni for not being able to urge the police to open up the road that has been barricaded by them since 2021.
He stated that the number of accidents that have occurred on that section of the road is unaccounted for. He wonders why the council chairman, who is the chief security officer of the local government, cannot order the police to remove the blockage, even with the overwhelming evidence that the number of accidents on that road has increased, especially at night and in the early hours of the day.
Also, Mr. Lucky Bale frowns at the attitude of the police and the nonchalant attitude of the council authority. He said that the death would’ve been avoidable or minimised if the road was open for vehicular and human traffic.
He appealed to the council authority to rise up to the responsibility of the office he was elected to manage. He said that the chairman has the legal mandate and authority to protect the rights, property, and lives of the people of Khana local government because he has sworn an oath to serve and protect them.
He also appeals to the people not to take the laws into their own hands; rather, they should engage all legal and lawful means to engage the authorities responsible for the blockage.
