An unfortunate situation has hit a woman and her young daughter after they were both knocked down by a speeding truck.
Photo only used for illustrative purpose
The police have arrested a truck driver, Soje Ojo, for crushing a woman, Ajoke Ogunremi and her daughter, Aina, to death with the vehicle in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos.
A motorcyclist, Paul Onyeka, was also apprehended for being complicit in the crash.
City Round learnt that the woman and her child were crossing the road to link Albati Barracks last Saturday when they suddenly noticed midway that the rider was fast approaching them.
As they beat a retreat to avoid being hit by the motorcycle, they ran into the oncoming truck which crushed them.
Aina died on the spot, while her mother was confirmed dead at a hospital where she was rushed to.
A commercial driver, who witnessed the accident, Deji Olusesan, told City Round that people prevented Ojo and Onyeka from running away and alerted policemen from the Surulere division.
He said, “The incident happened last Saturday morning. The woman was heading towards Albati Barracks and wanted to cross the road with her daughter. As they made to cross to the other side of the road, the motorcyclist who was riding a power bike suddenly surfaced, speeding. They tried to go back but unfortunately a truck coming behind crushed them. The little girl died immediately. Her mother was rushed to the hospital. I learnt she later died too.”
An emergency official who was part of the team that responded to the distress call said the accident involved an Iveco truck with the number plate, Lagos MUS 834 XG and a Max motorcycle marked, Lagos AKG 347 GF.
“Two persons, a woman and her daughter, died in the crash and their bodies were deposited in a morgue. The woman was later identified as Ajoke Ogunremi, aged 43 years old while her daughter, Aina was said to be 10,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Bala Elknana, who confirmed the fatal crash, said the suspects were in police custody.
He stated, “The accident involved a truck driven by one Soje Ojo, a motorcycle and two pedestrians – a mother and her 10-year-old child. The motorcycle and the truck were heading towards the same direction when the pedestrians were trying to cross the road.
“They turned back suddenly due to the closeness of the motorcycle whose rider, one Paul Onyeka, was riding dangerously and almost hit them. They ran into the truck at a close distance and it crushed both mother and child.
“The mother died on the spot while her mother died as she was receiving medical attention. The corpses had been deposited in the mortuary. The driver and the rider were arrested and would be charged.”