Tony Osauzo, Benin

Tragedy struck in the early hours of yesterday morning in Uselu, in Benin City, as three sisters and another female accompanying them to the New Benin market were killed in a motor accident, forcing a spontaneous protest along the Benin-Lagos highway.

The incident was said to have occurred at about 6:15 am even as the‎ ‎driver of the BMW car and his wife were said to have been trapped inside the car which plunged into open drainage along the road.

Following the incident, youths of Uselu Community took to the streets and blocked the busy highway, resulting in a gridlock on the busy road that leads to the University of Benin where the closing ceremony of the 2019 National Festival for Arts and Culture was scheduled to take place.

Consequently, ‎most people going for the NAFEST closing ceremony had to take alternative routes.

An eye witness, Osas Ikpomwonsa, said they woke up to find four dead bodies along the road, adding that one of the victims was pregnant.

He said policemen came and rescued the trapped driver and his wife‎, explaining that the youth set a bonfire on the road because policemen that came to disperse the protest shot live bullets at them, alleging that four of the protesters were shot and taken away by the police.

“This accident happened this morning around after 6.00 am opposite Uselu park involving four females, a man, and a woman.

“One of the bodies was inside the gutter. Others were across the road. It was a BMW car. The police came and rescued the man and his wife who was injured.

“The police took the dead bodies away. They came back and told us they want to take over the situation. The police suddenly started shooting. The reason we blocked the road was that the police took our person they shot away”.

Meanwhile, ‎one of the youth leaders who gave his name as Evans Uselu Man has called on the state government to cover the drains.

“This morning, four big girls were killed. They were waiting for a bus when a car came and hit them. They wanted to jump but because of the sand and side drains.

“We will clear the road but the government should return those boys they took away”, he demanded.

Confirming the incident, Edo Police Command spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, described it as unfortunate and said his men were on ground to restore peace and order.