Akeredolu’s Convoy Did Not Crush Motorcyclist, Say Police

The police authorities in Ondo State on Monday said their investigations into an accident which resulted in the death of a motorcyclist in Owo have revealed that the accident was not caused by the convoy of the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

"Aketedolu's convoy didn't crush any motorcyclist in Owo last Sunday," police declared.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Tee Leo Ikoro, who made the statement, said the declaration became imperative in view of  the rumours making the rounds that the governor’s convoy, while coming from a political rally, crushed a motorcyclist to death in Owo.

lkoro told journalists that the investigation revealed that it was a lone accident on the part of the victim, stating further that the convoy didn’t hit the motorcycle rider.

 According to him, "l visited the accident scene to get first-hand information about the incident.

 "It is good to correct the impression on the social media. Journalism is about factual reportage.

 

"I went with some journalists. The car involved was parked and the cyclist rammed into the stationery vehicle. It is wrong for people to say it was the governor's convoy that caused the accident.

 "The Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) is with us for proper investigation."

Reports had it that the family members of the deceased took his corpse away from the scene of the accident.

Meanwhile, an eyewitness account confirmed that the cyclist rammed into a stationary SUV in front of the Technical College in Owo while the governor’s convoy was coming from Oka.

A visit to the town yesterday to confirm the veracity of the claim showed that the motorcyclist identified as Jimoh Aladeniyi actually rammed into a stationary vehicle while trying to avoid the vehicles in the governor’s convoy and died instantly.

However, one of the motorcyclists in the town, Ajayi Sam, supported the position of the PPRO.

Sam said: "l witnessed the incident. The late motorcyclist was on top speed, and while trying to escape from the scene, he rammed into a stationary vehicle and died on the spot.

"It was not the governor’s convoy that crushed him. That’s a big lie as I was there. In fact the motorcyclist was on top speed and could not control it, and therefore rammed into the stationary vehicle.

"lf he was not on top speed, the impact on the vehicle that was parked in front of the Owo Technical College would not be that much.”

In a swift reaction, the state Information and Orientation Commissioner, Donald Ojogo, denied the report trending on social media that it was the governor’s convoy that crushed the motorcyclist.

Ojogo said:  “It is untrue that the convoy of the governor was involved in the accident as ascribed in the report.

"This clarification becomes pertinent in view of the misleading narrative that has trailed the unfortunate death of a motorcyclist who had collision with a stationary vehicle. This, without prejudice to police investigation, is the outcome of our preliminary probe on the heels of the anxiety understandably generated by the deliberate news slant.”