Governor Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State has extended condolences to the families of the victims of the accident that resulted in the deaths of 13 bus passengers and left two others injured at the Obajana market on Sunday night.
Upon his return to Lokoja on Monday, Governor Ododo was briefed on the accident and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He assured them that the state government would stand by them during this difficult time.
In a statement released by the Special Adviser on Media to the governor, Ismaila Isah, it was mentioned that the governor was deeply troubled by the accident. It occurred when an articulated truck collided with a parked passenger bus near the Obajana market late Sunday night, causing a devastating inferno that resulted in loss of lives and property in the area.
According to the governor: “I am disturbed that this accident resulted in loss of lives and damage to property in the area.
“I sympathise with the families of those who lost their lives and the survivors and I promise that we shall not abandon them in their moment of grief.”
Governor Ododo praised the emergency management services in the state for their swift response to the accident and their effective handling of the aftermath.
He urged the public to refrain from traveling at night and emphasized the importance of maintaining passenger information records at public transportation terminals. This information should be shared with contacts of passengers to facilitate easy identification by families in the event of emergencies.
“Let me also commend the Federal Road Safety Commission and other agencies for their quick response, but again I want to urge Nigerians to avoid night travels and for transporters in the state to preserve passenger manifest at bus terminals to enable easy identification when there are situations like this,” the Governor stated