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THERE was pandemonium in Ilorin, Kwara State, yesterday, as four people were feared dead and many injured when a vehicle conveying inmates to court and belonging to the Nigerian Prisons Services, NPS, was involved in an accident.
But the Prisons authorities said no life was lost in the accident.
Vanguard gathered that the driver of the vehicle, who allegedly drove against traffic, also crushed and killed another motorcyclist along Niger road, while trying to escape mob action.
Sources said the angry mob would have burnt the vehicle and lynched the prison staff, but sporadic gunshots by the prison’s armed guards scared the mob away.
A resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the angry mob, who were disenchanted with the accident, attacked and vandalised the bus escorting the inmates’ vehicle to court.
He noted that the van conveying the inmates escaped from the scene of the accident to its destination without any hitch, adding that the accident led to a protest by a group of commercial motorcycles also known as okada riders in the Ilorin metropolis.
Speaking with newsmen on the incident, the Zonal Spokesperson of the Motorcycle Riders Association in the state, AbdulAkeem Sulaiman, urged the government to ensure justice for their members.
He said those crushed in the accident were out in search of their means of livelihood to feed their families.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Ajayi Okasanmi, said normalcy has been restored in the areas where the protest took place.
He, however, said: “We have not recorded any death.”
He said the police would take necessary steps to ensure justice is done for those affected in the incident.
Also, the state NCoS Public Relations Officer, Philip Adegbulugbe, claimed that the suspected hoodlums attempted to free high-profile inmates who were conveyed to court in the area which resulted in pandemonium.
Ajayi Okasanmi said normalcy has been restored at the areas where the protest took place.
He, however, said: “We have not recorded any death.”
He said the police would take necessary steps to ensure justice is done to those affected by the incident.
The personnel of the Correctional Service were able to manoeuvre their way to the court.
However, those who sustained injuries have been moved to the hospital for medical attention and are responding to treatment and no lives were lost.
