Again,Police Killed 2 Students, Scores Injured During Checkpoint In Ogun

Two motorcycle riders were reported dead and at least seven others injured after an accident on Adeboye Road , Odorasanyin, in the Ijebu Igbo area of Ogun State on Tuesday .

PUNCH Metro gathered that a team of policemen had mounted a checkpoint on the road and were extorting money from motorists when a vehicle was flagged down by the officers .

The car driver attempted to escape from the checkpoint when he reportedly rammed into two oncoming motorcycle riders .

Our correspondent learnt that the two riders were confirmed dead on the spot, while five occupants of the car and two students of De Potter College of Health Technology , Ijebu Igbo , who were on the motorcycles , were critically injured .

A source said the injured were rushed to St . Joseph Catholic Hospital , Ijebu Igbo , before some of them were referred to the Babcock University Teaching Hospital , Ilisan- Remo .

Motorcycle riders in the area were said to have gone on the rampaging as they protested against the deaths.

The men , who were armed with bottles and sticks, allegedly attacked policeman at the Topon Police Station , Ijebu Igbo .

A resident , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said the accident happened around 9am .

She said , “I saw two dead people ; they were the okada riders . The five occupants of the car were injured , as some of them lost their limbs and others had bruises . From what I learnt, the driver of the car wanted to beat the police checkpoint because of the money they asked him to pay when he crashed into the motorcycle riders .”

A motorist, who also did not want to be identified, said the policemen at the checkpoint started staying on the road about two weeks ago , adding that they always extorted money from motorists.

He said , “Two students of the health technology school in the community were on the motorcycles . It will take a miracle for them to survive due to the severity of their injuries .

“As I speak to you, the colleagues of the dead motorcycle riders are on the rampage . They have blocked the roads and are stopping vehicles from moving . As of the time I left there , they were on their way to attacking Topon Police Station . The riders are angry because the rate of extortion on the road is alarming . As a driver, between Ijebu Ode and Ijebu Igbo , I encounter up to eight checkpoints and pay various sums of money to those policemen .”

The Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Clement Oladele , confirmed the crash but said officials of the agency were warned to steer clear due to the violence that erupted .

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“There was a crash , but it resulted in a violent mob action and on the advice of the police , the FRSC team stayed away in order not to be affected by the mob action ,” he said in a text message to our correspondent .

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi , said the accident had nothing to do with the police , adding that the crash occurred before the checkpoint .

He said , “The vehicle was approaching the police checkpoint when the driver lost control and hit an oncoming motorcycle . The driver of the vehicle sustained some injuries , but he is responding to treatment .

“Some cult members who were angry at how the police had decimated their group were the ones making issues out of nothing .

“The driver is still alive and he can testify that he lost control of the vehicle . The police had nothing to do with it. Some people wanted to use the opportunity to attack policemen because the place is close to where the police were doing stop- and- search. They wanted to protest , but the situation was brought under control . Only the motorcycle rider died . The passenger and driver are responding to treatment . ”

The Chief Medical Director of Babcock University Teaching Hospital , Dr Franklin Ani, said he had yet to be briefed on the incident , adding that he could not tell the number of casualties .

Copyright PUNCH .