Tragedy As Six Worshippers Die In Osun Crash

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Tragedy struck on Sunday after six members of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, in the Otan Ayegbaju area of Osun State, died in a fatal road crash.

Our correspondent gathered that the victims were returning from the church’s annual pilgrimage when the accident happened.

The victims were said to be travelling in a bus belonging to SS Peter and Paul, Lagere, Ile Ife Parish.

They were said to have left Otan after partaking in a mass also attended by dignitaries that included the Osun State Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi, and ex-Registrar, National Business and Technical Examinations Board, Prof. Olu Aina, which concluded the one-day pilgrimage.

The bus driver, who had 18 passengers on board, was said to have lost control after running into a ditch in Eripa town, on the Ila Orangun/Ikirun Road.

A priest was said to be one of the passengers injured in the accident.

Some priests, our correspondent learnt, were at the Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, on Sunday to donate blood to some victims in urgent need of blood transfusion.

The Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Folasade Odoro, told our correspondent that six people were confirmed dead in the crash, while nine others were injured.

Odoro added that the state Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, had directed full investigation into the cause of the accident.

She said the CP, immediately the report of the accident was received, mobilised men to the area, adding that the scene of the accident had been cleared.

Odoro said, “The accident occurred around 11am on Sunday when the driver of a Toyota bus with number plate, Lagos GGE 109 DY, with 18 passengers of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, Lagere, Ile Ife Parish, lost control and entered a ditch.

“Six died, while nine people were injured. The injured victims were taken to a hospital in Iree for treatment. The remains of six people that were confirmed dead by a doctor were deposited in the morgue of the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.”