Tony Osauzo, Benin

Tragedy struck in the early hours of today in Uselu, in Benin City, as three sisters and another female accompanying them to 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 6:15am even as the‎ ‎driver of the BMW car and his wife were said to have been trapped inside the car which plunged into an 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 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, ‎many persons 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 rescued the trapped driver and his wife‎, explaining that the youth set 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.

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“This accident happened this morning around after 6 am opposite Uselu Park; it involved 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. Police came and rescued the man and his wife who were injured.

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

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

“This morning, four big girls were killed. They were waiting for a bus when they were hit.

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

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