Eight Libya returnees die in crash

Eight persons among those brought back from Libya last week, have died in an accident.

Seven others sustained injuries. The crash occurred on Ore-Ijebu Ode-Sagamu expressway, Ogun State.

The victims were said to have embarked on a journey to Lagos to see a popular pastor to seek financial assistance, after being allegedly informed that the pastor doles out N50,000 each to Libya returnees, who arrived through Lagos.


It was learnt that the accident occurred last Tuesday near Omoo River area popularly called J4 and it involved a white Toyota Hiace 18-seater commercial bus marked AYB 479 XA and a blue and white Volvo truck registered as KSF 79 XL.

It was gathered that 15 Libya returnees, including five women, left Benin at night after being profiled by the Edo State Task Force on Anti-human Trafficking and Illegal Migration.

The identities of the victims are yet to be disclosed, as there was no manifest from the commercial bus to indicate their names and destinations.

Ogun State Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr. Clement Oladele told our reporter on the phone that the driver of the truck drove against the traffic and had a head-on collision with the bus.

“The injured were taken to General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode and the bodies were deposited at the hospital mortuary,” he said.

Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy to Governor Godwin Obaseki Mr. Crusoe Osagie said the government was sad over the incident.

He said it should not be blamed for the accident, as assistance was provided for the returnees to enable them to be reintegrated into the society and unite with their families.

”It is not like they were kept in prison as in Libya. They might have embarked on the trip to Lagos on their own. However, the government will make efforts to reach the families of those who died or are injured.”