From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Ondo State Government has said those involved in an auto crash on Okitipupa-Ore Road on Tuesday were not delegates to the Niger Delta council summit holding in the state.
The government, in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Segun Ajiboye, however admitted that the accident claimed lives and rendered many people injured. Five persons had reportedly died in an accident at Ode Aye in Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state.
The deceased, according to sources, were on their way to Igbokoda where the Niger Delta council summit was holding. But, Ajiboye denied the claim, and said the accident victims were not delegates to the summit but, travellers.
“The Ondo State government wishes to state that none of the delegates who attended the town hall meeting was involved in the auto crash.
“According to police report, there was an auto crash and a 42-year-old mother of five, Rukayat Teniola, from Onipakala, in Ondo state, who was traveling for private business, died.
“Four other passengers, who were injured in the crash, were rushed to the hospital, and three of them have already been discharged.
Ajiboye maintained that none of the delegates and other participants in the town hall meeting were involved in the reported auto crash.
“Three vehicles, including a Golf passenger car with registration number AG 12 REE, allegedly overloaded with six passengers travelingfrom Ore to Okitipupa, a Dyna truck with registration number AKR 890SA and a Mercedes lorry travelling from Okitipupa to Ore were involved in the fatal crash,” Ajiboye said.