Policemen in patrol vehicle crush motorcyclists to death

Two motorcycle passengers have on Monday, November 18, 2019, been crushed to death by yet-to-be identified policemen.

Punch reports that the policemen were driving against traffic, when they crushed the motorcycle passengers to death on the Long Bridge end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun.

The crash involved a white Toyota Hilux pickup van with number plate GGE 960 DD and a Bajaj motorcycle with number plate MEK 418 VH.

Ogun Police Spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, has confirmed the incident. [News Express] ece-auto-gen

Even though the passengers died, the motorcyclist sustained injuries and has since been hospitalised.

It was gathered that the policemen in the patrol vehicle took to their heels after the accident occurred around 10:50 am, while emergency responders, who rushed to the scene, took the injured victim to hospital.

The remains of the deceased were said to have been deposited in the Lagos State Emergency Centre at the old tollgate area.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “When the accident happened, the policemen ran out of the vehicle and jumped off the bridge and ran away. No one could catch them.”

At the scene of the accident, other commercial motorcyclists, while mourning the death of the victims, threatened to burn the van.

During the rescue operation, a Federal Road Safety Corps official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “We got the distress call and we came down to the scene, but before we got here, we realised that the people around had done the rescue.”

Speaking on the incident, the spokesperson for the police in Ogun, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the death of the two passengers.

Oyeyemi said the vehicle involved was registered and branded, adding that it had been impounded and the owner/driver would be traced and made to face justice.

Oyeyemi further explained that driving against the traffic was a serious offence and security agents were not allowed to do so except in emergencies, and such vehicle would be a security vehicle or an ambulance, which must carry a sign that would alert people to the emergency.

He stressed that investigation into the accident was ongoing and gave an assurance that the driver would be identified, arrested and prosecuted, adding that the Commissioner of Police in the state had directed that everything possible must be done to apprehend those involved, whether they were policemen or ordinary citizens.