Two Muslim worshippers were on Friday killed while scores of others sustained various degrees of injury when a vehicle rammed into them during the Eid-el-Kabir prayer at the Etokori Praying Ground Ijebu Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
An angry mob was said to have attempted to lynch the driver of the truck, but he was rescued by policemen at the venue, but one of the policemen, identified as Joseph Adejuwon, was mobbed to death in the process of trying to rescue the driver.
According to reports, the vehicle, a Bedford truck with number plate AA 523 JGB, laden with logs, had a brake failure and the driver lost control, which made the truck to ram into the worshippers.
The Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the truck first hit a Toyota Tundra with number plate APP 995 DD and damaged it before running over two children at the praying ground, killing them instantly.
Akinbiyi said scores of other Muslim faithful who had come out en masse for the Eid prayer sustained various degrees of injury. An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was among those who sustained injuries.
He said, “Our operatives said the truck ran over two children at the Etokori praying ground this morning, killing them instantly and injuring scores of others. An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps was among those who sustained injuries. A policeman also died while being rushed to the hospital.”
Akinbiyi said the corpses of the victims had been deposited in the mortuary at the General Hospital, Ijebu Igbo, while the injured were also receiving treatment in the same hospital.
When contacted, Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, adding that the slain policeman was an orderly to a Divisional Police Officer.
Oyeyemi said the driver of the truck and two persons suspected to be part of the mob had been arrested. He also confirmed that two other persons died.
He said, “It is true that an accident occurred this morning at Ijebu Ode. The truck laden with logs had lost control after its brake failed and rammed into Muslim faithful going to perform Eid prayer in Ijebu Igbo, killing two people.
“A mob had gathered and wanted to lynch the truck driver but policemen on the ground prevented them. They descended on our operatives and one of them was killed. We have the truck driver in our custody and two other suspects.”
