Lokoja – Five persons, including four occupants of a car died when a car in which they were travelling plunged into a canal in Kogi State.
The fifth victim was a fisherman who died while trying to rescue one of the occupants of the car that plunged into the canal.
The incident happened at Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State at about 4.30 p.m. on Friday.
Mr Pius Kolawale, Chairman, Yagba West Local Government confirmed the incident.
“Among the dead are three ladies and two men, including the fisherman,” Kolawole said
According to him, the good Samaritan fisherman had successfully aided one of the occupants of the car to escape death but got drowned after.
He described the incident as very sad and unfortunate.
“The five of them were coming from Oga Community on their way to Lokoja but unfortunately just along the canal, where there is a very sharp corner, they lost control and went straight into the canal.
“Only one of the occupants of the car escaped while four died, including three ladies.
“The fifth person that died was a good samaritan, a fisherman, who tried to save them but died in the process,” he said.
Kolawale said that when the incident happened at about 4.30 p.m. on Friday, he put a call to the Council’s Divisional Police Officer (DPO), who came with his men and took the corpses to a morgue.
“Already, family members of the deceased have come and to take their corpses today for burial.
“That very road where the incident happened is that of Niger River Basin Authority solely for the maintenance of the dam but people travelling from Oga to Lokoja take advantage of it to cross over to Ebira and continue their journey to Lokoja as a shortcut,” he said.
The chairman appealed to the road users, especially motorists, to drive with care and avoid speed violations while plying the very road.
The state FRSC Sector Commander, Stephen Dawulung, also confirmed the accident, describing it as “very unfortunate.”
Dawulung said that the road was not a conventional one but that because of the advantage it offered to travellers as a short route, they keep playing it.
The FRSC sector commander called on motorists to always ensure obey traffic rules and regulations to avoid loss of lives and property. (NAN/vitalnewsngr.com)
