Four children of the same parents were crushed to death by a BMW saloon car while attempting to cross the Benin-Lagos expressway at the popular Uselu Shell in Egor local government area of Benin, the Edo State capital on Saturday.
The full details of the accident could not be ascertained as at press time but the Edo State Sector Commander, Mr. Anthony Okoh who confirmed it described the tragedy as unfortunate and avoidable.
Okoh said that he was yet to get the full details of the accident as his men who were deployed to the scene were yet to report to the office on Auchi Road.
A neighbour to the victims who refused to disclose her name, however, explained that the children aged between five and 11 were sent on an errand by their mother who lives in the neighbourhood when tragedy struck.
She said that the driver of the ill-fated vehicle took to his heels to avoid lynching by the mob that had gathered at the scene of the accident when it happened.
She said: “It was a big tragedy on Uselu-Lagos Road as the children of my neighbours were crushed to death by a BMW car as they attempted to cross the road. It is a big tragedy. I don’t know how they are going to cope.
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“Angry community youths took over the major road to protest against the killing. This is sad news. May their souls rest in perfect peace.”
She lamented that only six policemen were deployed to the scene of the accident to maintain peace, wondering how they were going to curtail the demonstrators by the irate youths.
She added: “That road is too busy. It is even difficult for an adult to cross the road, let alone children. It is not advisable to send children errand across the road alone.”
Angered by the tragedy, some angry youths from the community, blocked and staged bonfire on the road to protest the accident which happened a few metres from Edaiken Palace, the traditional ground, the home of the Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom.
Commercial activities were paralyzed at the nearby Uselu Market following the action of the youths, who accused the driver of overspeeding and recklessness, while commuters who were caught in the mayhem were stranded for hours.
Some pedestrians were forced to trek a long distance to their destination as a result of the gridlock despite the presence of policemen who were drafted to maintain peace.
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