Protest in Osun as Fuel Laden Tanker Kills Undergraduate

Residents of Owode Ede, Osun, on Thursday blocked vehicular movements on Gbogan-Ibadan expressway with burning tyres as they protest the killing of an undergraduate of the community by a fuel tanker.

According to an eyewitness that spoke with our correspondent about what led to the protest, he said at about 9:30am, a fuel laden tanker with registration number; FKJ 246 XN Lagos driving against traffic, ran over a young man known as “Dada” crushing him to death.

He said immediately the accident occurred, some commercial motorcyclists close to the scene of the incident pursued the tanker, but the driver escaped as he ran into Zone XI police command in Osogbo.

He further explained that  the angry motorcyclists tried to get him out of the police command but were prevented and manhandled by the police, which resulted to the protest.

When our correspondent got to the scene of the incident, armed security men were seen to be on ground preventing breakdown of law and order while some protesters were also sighted close to the road.

The blockages on the roads had however been removed, as police officers and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) with a  police APC vehicle were stationed to prevent further protest.

A security agent, who spoke with our correspondent, said they got a distress call that vehicular movement was being stalled in Owode and when they got to the scene, they were able to disperse the protesters and clear the blockages on the road.

When our correspondent checked at the Zone XI police command to find out the true picture of the incident and the whereabouts of the tanker driver and the tanker, he was directed to get update from the state police command.

When the Police Command PRO, Mrs Folashade Odoro, was however contacted for details on the incident, she confirmed that the tanker had been impounded by the VIO for inspection and that investigation is ongoing on the incident.

The disembodied corpse of the victim (a student of Federal Polytechnic, Ede) was however reported to have been evacuated by his relatives, as the State Emergency Ambulance Services were alleged to have refuse to remove his remains because of its gory and dismembered state.