Tragedy strikes as vehicle crashes into waterway, claiming three lives in Ibadan

A minimum of five people were pulled to safety and three lifeless bodies were retrieved from the Ariyo River by the Oyo State Fire Services Agency after a passenger bus veered off course and crashed into the water along Amuloko road in Ibadan.

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The agency's Chairman, Mr Moroof Akinwande, issued a statement on Thursday in Ibadan, confirming the details of the rescue operation, which was prompted by a distress call received on Wednesday.

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According to Akinwande, the distress call was made by Mrs Fadeke Yusuf, alerting the agency to the incident, and personnel were swiftly deployed to the scene to respond to the emergency.

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Upon arriving at the scene, rescue workers found a Suzuki bus, with the license plate number OSUN LEW 484 XA, which had been carrying eight passengers when it lost control and plunged into the river.

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Rescue efforts resulted in the successful rescue of five people, who were then taken to Ona – Ara private Hospital in the Jegede area for treatment, while three deceased individuals were recovered and handed over to the police.

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The police team, led by ASP Aishat Ibrahim from the Ogbere Divisional headquarters, took custody of the three recovered bodies, as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.

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Mr Akinwande attributed the cause of the accident to reckless driving and cautioned motorists to exercise caution and adhere to road safety guidelines to prevent unnecessary accidents.

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The agency's Chairman expressed gratitude for the support received from the crew of the Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency (OYRTMA) Ona Ara Division, as well as Glorious Temitope, the Chairman of Ona Ara Local Government, during the rescue operation.