Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Four pupils of Ugwube Primary School Oba in Idemili South Local Government of Anambra State have been crushed to death by a driver, leaving 10 others with various degrees of injury.
The accident which occurred on Monday along Oba-Nnewi old road had three of the pupils killed at the spot while the fourth one died in the hospital where the injured were taken to.
An eye-witness account said the pupils who had just closed from school nearby were milling down the Oba-Nnewi old road back to their homes when the driver said to be reckless with an Infinity Jeep rammed into them.
Meanwhile, the police in the state have arrested the driver, one Mr. Chibuzor Elebo.
Confirming his arrest to newsmen, the Oba Divisional Police Officer, Ifeanyi Abanaofor said: “The injured were about ten and they have been taken to various hospitals for medical attention. The driver of the ill-fated vehicle, Mr. Chibuzor Elebo, has been arrested.”
The eye-witness while attributing the crash to the recklessness of the driver, said he (driver) was driving while answering telephone calls when the incident happened.
He said: “He lost control and veered off his lane into the other lane before ramming into the kids, killing three instantly, while the fourth one died in hospital.”
Another eyewitness account said: “The schoolchildren came out in their large numbers having been dismissed at about 2 pm on the fateful day. As they were milling down the Oba-Nnewi old road, a vehicle, an Infinity jeep with registration No MYB 22 AAA, that was speeding while coming from Onitsha, had brake failure and rammed into the pupils, killing four on the spot while about ten of them sustained injuries.
“The bodies of the deceased were deposited at Gateway Hospital mortuary, Oba. It is painful, even two of those children that were killed were of same parents.”
Reacting to the sad incident, the President-General of Aboji Akanano Union Oba, Dozie Nweke, described it as “unfortunate and a great loss to Oba people and the families of the pupils. The parents should take heart because it had happened.”