TWO policemen, yesterday, died in an accident involving the campaign convoy of former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, while he was on his way to Usen in Ovia SouthWest local government area.
The accident was said to have happened at about 1pm around the by-pass in Oluku Ovia North East local government area.
As a result of the incident, the candidate of the APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has called off his rally at Usen.
It was gathered that a trailer ran into the travelling campaign convoy hitting the back-up vehicle that the police were riding in.
In a statement, the Chairman of the APC Media Campaign Council, Mr. John Mayaki, said it was suspending the scheduled campaign to honour the dead.
On behalf of Pastor Ize-Iyamu and the APC, Mayaki condoled with the families of the victims, saying they were not alone in their grief and pledged that the campaign would do everything within its powers to ameliorate their grief.
Reaching out to the families of the policemen involved in the fatal crash, the campaign said Edo would never forget their supreme sacrifice.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Chris Azebamwan said Oshiomhole was okay and that they were waiting for more details from security agencies.
Several calls to the Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo were not picked and same for the Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor.
The Sector Commander of the Federal Roads Safety Commission, FRSC, Henry Benamaisa, said he was waiting for the police to give details before he could officially release same to the public. He said he has deployed his personnel to the area to get details.
Oshiomhole’s convoy accident, an assassination attempt, says aide
However, Oshiomhole’s Meia Aide, Victor Oshioke described the accident as an assassination attempt.
In a statement, he said Oshiomhole’s convoy was driving at a regulated speed limit when a trailer driving in the same direction rammed into the convoy pushing the police back-up into the bush and hitting the vehicle Oshiomhole was riding in.
The statement said: “Some minutes after 12 pm today Tuesday September 1, 2020, there was a motor accident involving the convoy of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, along Benin Lagos by-pass before Oluku junction. The convoy was headed to Usen Community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, where Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was expected to appear at a campaign rally alongside Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC governorship candidate in the September 19, 2020 election in the state, when a trailer driving in the same direction veered off its course, hit the back up Toyota Hilux vehicle carrying 7 policemen, forcing it off the road, into the bush and rammed into the Sports Utility vehicle carrying Comrade Oshiomhole, causing substantial damage.
“We are sad to report that two police personnel in the Toyota Hilux truck lost their lives while two others are in critical condition receiving treatment at a hospital in the state.
“Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other persons in the convoy , apart from those indicated above did not sustain any injuries.
“It is pertinent to state, without fear of contradiction, that the convoy of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was maintaining legal speed limits when this incident occurred. This explains why the trailer, travelling in the same direction over ran the Hilux truck off the road and still hit the SUV carrying Comrade Oshiomhole, causing substantial damage.
“Without prejudice to police investigations, eyewitnesses account of the incident suggest, and we believe rightly too, that this was an assassination attempt, targeting Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. “It is painful that innocent policemen performing their legal duties lost their lives in this very unfortunate incident.
“While we pray for the quick recovery of the injured policemen, we extend our condolences to the families of the departed.
