Five persons on Saturday drowned when a car plunged into a canal along River Niger in Kogi State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident happened at Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi at about 4.30 p.m. on Friday.
Pius Kolawale, chairman of Yagba West LGA, Kogi, who confirmed the incident to NAN, said the incident was very sad and unfortunate.
Mr Kolawale, however, confirmed that one of the five occupants in the car escaped death as he swam to safety, aided by a fisherman, who unfortunately himself drowned.
“Among the dead are three ladies and two men, including the fisherman.
“The five of them were coming from Oga Community on their way to Lokoja but unfortunately just along the canal, where there is a very sharp corner, they lost control and went straight into the canal.
“Only one of the occupants of the car escaped while four died, including three ladies.
“The fifth person that died was a good samaritan, a fisherman, who tried to save them but died in the process,” he told NAN.
Mr Kolawale said that when the incident happened at about 4.30 p.m. on Friday, he put a call to the Council’s Police Divisional Officer (DPO), who came with his officials and took the corpses to a morgue.
“Already, family members of the deceased have come and taken their corpses today for burial.
“That very road the incident happened is that of Niger River Basin Authority solely for the maintenance of the dam but people travelling from Oga to Lokoja take advantage of it to cross over to Ebira and continue their journey to Lokoja as a shortcut, ” he said.
The chairman appealed to the road users, especially motorists, to drive with care and avoid speed violations while plying that very road.
The state FRSC Corps Commander, Stephen Dawulung, who also confirmed the incident, described it as “very unfortunate”.
Mr Dawulung said that the road was not a conventional one but that because of the advantage it offered to travellers as a short route, they kept plying it.
The FRSC sector commander called on motorists to always ensure they maintained traffic rules and regulations to avoid lives and property wastage.
According to him, the lone accident could have been avoided if they were not on speed on that faithful day.
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