Records of Convoy accidents in Ondo state.

On Sunday 8 March ,2020 a tragic incident occurred in Owo town in Ondo state when the convoy of the state governor , Oluwarotimi Akeredolu allegedly crushed to death a middle-age man which threw his family into mourning.

The governor was said to be traveling from Oba Akoko where he went to receive some leaders into the APC fold.

Akeredolu was also said to have paid homage to Olubaka of Oka,Oba Yusuf Adebori Adeleye.

Akeredolu’s journey from Oba Akoko was a smooth one until when his convoy was alleged to have crushed to death a middle age man ( name withheld) around government technical college ,Owo ,Akeredolu’s hometown at around half past eight o’clock in the evening.

Sahara reporters learnt that a driver in the convoy of the governor on high speed rammed into the man and crushed him to death and neither the governor or any of the vehicles in the convoy wait to even see if they could still rescue the victim.

ONDO GOVERNMENT DEBUNKS RUMOUR

The attention of the Ondo State Government has been drawn to the above news item that is trending in a section of the social media.

It is untrue that the convoy of the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN was involved in the accident as ascribed in the report.

This clarification becomes pertinent in view of the misleading narrative that has trailed the unfortunate death of a motorcyclist who had collision with a stationary vehicle.

This, without prejudice to Police investigation, is the outcome of our preliminary probe on the heels of the anxiety understandably generated by the deliberate news slant.

The accidented vehicle is now at the Police Station in Owo for inspection and possible verification by Journalists as well as the public.

Notwithstanding that the Governor’s convoy was not involved as erroneously painted in the reports, Governor Akeredolu sympathises with the family of the deceased and prays God for the repose of his soul.

This incident, unfortunate and avoidable as it seems, underscores the need for caution on our highways.

Donald Ojogo
Commissioner for Information and Orientation

Roving Reporters brings to you the list of past governors of Ondo state whose convoy had either been involved in accidents and also killed their victims in the process.

ALI OLANUSI

In February 2004, the convoy of the Deputy Governor of Ondo state, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, was in a ghastly road accident in the state on Aponmu-Owena along Ondo road.

The accident reportedly killed four persons including a teenager traveling with a traditional ruler.

A white Toyota Camry conveying a traditional ruler, the Osomakinde of Ife Tuntun in Osun State, Oba Taofik Olaposi was traveling from Osun state to Akure when it was caught in the over speeding convoy of the deputy governor.

it was learnt that the accident occurred as a result of reckless driving on the part of the deputy governor’s convoy.

The Deputy Governor convoy was said to have been over speeding to Ondo town to attend a ceremony in the ancient town.

The deputy government did not sustain injuries. He has since been taken to Akure the state capital, where Government house doctors examined him.

OLUSEGUN MIMIKO

In October 2009, No fewer than six persons reportedly lost their lives in an auto crash which involved the convoy of the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, on the Okitipupa- Akinfosile road.

The governor was on his way to Lagos for official engagement after returning from the Militants’ Disarmament Programme at Arogbo in the Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.

BETTY AKEREDOLU

In March 2018, A vehicle in the convoy of Mrs Betty-Anyanwu-Akeredolu, wife of Ondo State governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday killed two female undergraduates of Adeyemi College of Education (ACE), Ondo, along Akure-Ondo Road.

SaharaReporters exclusively gathered the bus, assigned to the Ondo State Governor’s Office Press Corps, in Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu’s convoy hit a separate vehicle in which the the two students were travelling into a canal.

The convoy of the governor’s wife was heading to Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area for an empowerment programme when the accident occurred.

OLUSEGUN AGAGU

In February, 2006, one person was killed while four mobile policemen and a photo journalist were injured in an auto crash involving the convoy of Former Governor Olusegun Agagu of Ondo State along Okitipupa-Igbokoda road.

The photo journalist works with the state information ministry.

It was learnt that about seven persons were in the governor’s pilot vehicle when the accident occurred.

Eyewitness account said that a commercial vehicle veered to the lane where the governor”s convoy was travelling and hit the pilot vehicle. The driver of the commercial vehicle reportedly died instantly.

ADEBAYO ADEFARATI

In March 2002 convoy of Former governor Adebayo Adefarati shot at the students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), who were mourning their colleagues who were killed by a luxurious bus.

According to Mr. Dele Adebayo (a.k.a. Dele Success), the Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Union of FUTA, “the occasion did not warrant shootings as we were still mourning the death of two of our students who were crushed to death by a Marcopolo bus due to reckless driving.”