Vehicle plunges into river, family of four rescued

A family of four on Thursday narrowly escaped death along the Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin Expressway when their vehicle plunged into a river in Ososa near Ijebu Ode.

The husband, his wife and their two children were however rescued from the river by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, who arrived at the scene shortly after the accident.

The FRSC has, however, said accident rate along the Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin Expressway reduced by over 50 per cent between January and June this year.

A witness, who pleaded, anonymity said  the car in which the family of four was traveling skidded off the road and ran into the river due to overspeeding.

The FRSC Unit Commander in Ijebu-Ode, Mr Isa Seidu confirmed the incident but said no life was lost.

Seidu said the timely rescue efforts of the FRSC saved the entire family from perishing.

He said, “A black Honda car, with number plate EA 768 LXR in which a family of four were travelling, crashed into the river in the early hours of today (Thursday) due to overspeeding.

“While it was raining, the man was on top speed and ran into the river but fortunately no life was lost. The man and his wife and their two children, a male and a female were rescued alive without any injury.”

The FRSC unit commander, however, appealed to motorists plying the Sagamu-Ore-Benin express way to always exercise caution on the high way. He added that motorists traveling on the expressway should be cautious around Ososa river, Ogbere and J4 bridge in Ijebu-East Local Government.

He said, “I want to passionately appeal to motorist plying Sagamu-Ore-Benin highway to always exercise caution on the highway.

“Due to heavy rain at this period, rivers on this highway have risen in volume and there is need for motorists to always apply common sense when approaching these rivers.

“The rate of accident along the Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin Expressway has drastically reduced by over 50 per cent up till the end of June this year when compared with cases of crashes along the route in the last three years. We want it to continue like that.

The Unit Commander said a total of 81 crashes occurred between January and June 2011, with 43 people losing their lives. He said 79 crashes occurred in 2012 with 41 people also feared dead.

Seidu attributed the over 50 per cent reduction in accident rate to some strategic plans put in place by the unit which, he said, were in line with the Corp Marshal’s directive to reduce accident and fatality rate by 50 per cent across the country.