A TRAGIC accident involving the convoy of the Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Austin Okezie Meregini, has left two persons dead and several others severely injured along the Obehie axis of the busy Enugu–Umuahia–Aba–Port Harcourt Expressway.
The incident, which occurred over the weekend, claimed the lives of two brothers, Ifeanyi Maduako (45) and Onyedi Obasi (35), both natives of Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State. The victims were returning to their base abroad after attending their late mother’s burial when tragedy struck.
Eyewitnesses at the scene told News Point Nigeria that the collision involved the Deputy Speaker’s official pick-up truck and a Toyota Spider in which the deceased siblings were travelling.
The impact of the crash was said to have been devastating, killing the brothers instantly, while occupants of the convoy vehicle, the Deputy Speaker’s driver and security aides sustained life-threatening injuries.
A source close to the family of the deceased lamented: “They had only come home to bury their mother. One returned from The Gambia, the other from the Philippines. Now their young children, one left behind a child, the other two have been orphaned by this senseless accident.”
The injured members of the Deputy Speaker’s convoy are currently receiving intensive treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia. Medical experts say the driver is battling spinal damage and may require urgent surgery to prevent permanent paralysis.
As of press time, both the Abia State Police Command and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had not released official statements on the cause of the accident, fueling speculation and heated public debate.
Some witnesses alleged that the convoy was speeding, while others claimed the victims’ Toyota Spider was driving against traffic because of the bad condition of one lane of the expressway.
In a statement issued through his media aide, Grant Okeigbo, the Deputy Speaker distanced himself from claims that he was in the convoy at the time of the crash.
“The Deputy Speaker was not in the vehicle. The official truck was returning from an errand in Port Harcourt when the unfortunate accident occurred.
According to eyewitness accounts, the Toyota Spider either suffered a burst tire or brake failure, which caused it to veer into the path of the convoy vehicle, leading to the fatal collision,” the statement read.
He expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and revealed that emissaries from his office had already visited the bereaved family. The Deputy Speaker also pledged medical support for the injured officers battling for their lives at FMC.
“Rt. Hon. Meregini considers this a tragic incident and extends his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, while continuing discussions on how best to support them during this painful period,” the statement added.
The deaths have plunged the community of Ehime Mbano into mourning, with residents lamenting the loss of two promising sons whose lives were cut short in their prime.