Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, on Tuesday rescued and evacuated some victims of an accident to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
DAILY POST gathered Wednesday evening that passers-by and residents of Iwo Road, Ibadan, hailed the humanitarian gesture of the Governor when he halted his convoy to rescue and evacuate victims of an accident to the University College Hospital, Ibadan on Tuesday.
The governor, who escorted the victims to the Accident and Emergency Ward of the hospital around 5pm on Tuesday, it was gathered, had just returned from Ado-Ekiti, where he had attended President Muhammadu Buhari re-election campaign rally.
Sources at the scene of the accident had claimed that a hit-and-run driver had knocked the motorcycle conveying the victims from the rear around 4pm, thus, flinging the rider and his female passenger to the ground and fled. They had sustained suspected head injury and fractures.
One of the sources, Tajudeen Adebare, who sells tyres along the road, said that onlookers had feared that they might get into trouble if they rescue the victims and take them to the hospital without a police report should any of the victims dies.
He said, “Everybody was afraid of going near them. A reckless driver who ought to obey the ‘drive slowly’ signs placed along the road because of the expansion works ignored the signs and drove recklessly into the area.
“He hit the motorcycle rider from behind and ran away. The rider and the woman he was conveying sustained serious injuries, which scared people from moving near them. Nobody wants to get into trouble with the police.
“With their condition we cannot start taking them to the police station to first obtain report before taking them to the hospital. We are afraid that if we take them to the hospital they will ask for police report before treating them. And if any of them die in the process the rescuers may get into trouble.
“We were surprised when the governor got to the scene after about 30 minutes and stopped. He watched as the victims were taken into one of the hilux vans in his convoy. Many people that we consider as big men have passed through this place since the accident occurred without caring.
“Personally, I’m impressed by the governor’s humanitarian gesture. That is why people who were watching started to hail him. He is an example of a good leader. I pray that other leaders will be as caring as this.”
It was learnt that the victims writhed in agony from suspected fractures and were left to their fate for more than 30 minutes before the governor’s convoy arrived in the area, where a massive road reconstruction work is ongoing.
Ajimobi had ordered that the victims be taken in the hilux van in his convoy and instructed it to be positioned next to the pilot car as the convoy headed for the UCH.
On arrival at Emergency Unit of UCH, the governor had frantically engaged the medical personnel on duty, ensuring that the victims were stabilized before departing the ward.
Ajimobi before leaving the hospital paid the bill of four other victims he met in the place and detailed one of his aides to follow up with the two victims he personally took to the hospital.
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