4 reportedly dead as trailer fell into ditch in Ogbomosho

Tragedy struck along the old Oyo-Ogbomosho Road as four lives were lost when a trailer veered into a ditch at the Emaayo-Seminary area of Ogbomosho on Thursday night. The trailer, en route from Oyo to Ilorin, encountered a badly damaged section of the road, causing it to tip over, throwing passengers off and tragically trapping them beneath the wreckage. Rescue efforts were delayed until Friday morning, adding to the devastation. Several others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the tragic accident.

Local sources expressed frustration and sorrow, pointing out that the poorly maintained road has been a source of danger for years. The ongoing construction of the Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomosho-Ilorin expressway, which began in 2001, has been plagued by delays, and residents of Ogbomosho have made countless pleas for repairs.

Kolapo, an indigene of Ogbomoso, voiced his community’s frustration, stating, “We’ve appealed endlessly to the government to fix this road properly. The damaged portion is less than 500 meters, yet, despite our cries for intervention, it has been ignored. Temporary fixes from communal efforts have only provided brief relief.”

Kolapo further criticized the state government, accusing them of neglecting Ogbomosho: “The Oyo-Iseyin road, also a federal road, was reconstructed by the state government when the Federal Government failed to act. That’s a stretch covering tens of kilometers. So why can’t they do the same for us here in Ogbomosho, where we’re asking for a solution to a stretch less than 500 meters long?”

The tragic accident has reignited anger and frustration over the deteriorating infrastructure, with many calling for swift and meaningful government action to prevent further loss of life on the hazardous road.