By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City
Tragedy struck in Edo state last Saturday April 28, 2012, when the people of Edo state, particularly the State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), were thrown into mourning following the shocking death of three journalists, Olatunji Jacob and George Okosun, both of the Independent Television and Fidelis Okhani, a camera man attached to the African Independent Television (AIT).

They were involved in a ghastly motor accident which involved the convoy of Governor Adams Oshiomhole along the Warrake-Auchi Road, Etsako West Local Government Council of the state. Other journalists involved in the accident currently receiving treatment include Rosemary Obayuwana of Bronze FM, David Acha, Mr. Eubaldus Enahoro of the Observer, Mike Aghioma, PRO government House and a DBN Television camera man, Paul Ezenwa.

*Site of the accident

The Chief Detail to the Governor and other security details of the Governor were also wounded and are currently in a hospital in Benin. The accident occurred at about 12.45pm when the convoy was coming from an Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) rally in Afuze, Owan East Local Government, where thousands of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to the ACN. Governor Oshiomhole who drove himself escaped death by the whiskers when a tipper lorry was said to have rammed into his convoy.

It later hit the Toyota Land Cruiser conveying security details which immediately somersaulted. The Land Cruiser was directly behind the Governor. The lorry also hit the bus conveying the Government House Press Crew. An eye witness told Saturday Vanguard that the driver of the lorry ran into the bush shortly after the accident but his assistant was apprehended.

However, he later came out of the bush and that was when it was discovered that he also sustained injuries. He was immediately arrested by the police Command in the state for interrogation. However, ACN members who were waiting for the Governor at the Museum Ground venue of the scheduled kick off of the Governorship Campaign in Edo South, broke into tears when the news filtered in that the Governor was involved in an accident.

There was confusion when some of the leaders could not reach the Governor on phone forcing the Director General of the Oshiomhole Campaign Organization, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to put off the scheduled rally. But their was relief when some of the leaders got one of the surviving journalists on phone who informed them that the Governor was safe but was seriously involved in the rescue mission.

But while the anxiety heightened in Benin, a visibly shocked Oshiomhole was battling  along the Auchi road with some of his Security details who were not seriously affected in the accident to save the life of others. The Governor who was weeping profusely at this point, assisted in using an axe to cut through the mangled bus in which the journalists were trapped.

He also assisted in unscrewing the nuts in the seats where these journalists were trapped, but very sadly, it was discovered that one of them, Olatunji Jacobs had died on the spot. George Okosun and Fidelis Ohani died at the hospital.

As a matter of fact, George assisted in taking his colleagues to the hospital but unknown to anyone, he sustained an internal injury and gave up the ghost at the hospital in Auchi. The Governor was at the hospital with the victims which also included his security details as he pressed on the doctors to ensure that the lives of the wounded were saved. He arrived Benin City at about 10pm in tears as he met with avalanche of ACN leaders who  kept vigil at Government House since the news of the incident came to them.

On Sunday, April 29, 2012, the survivors were moved to Benin Central Hospital where several doctors including the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Cordelia Aiwuzie, were on hand to attend to them.

The journalists waiting at the Central Hospital wept profusely when they saw their wounded colleagues and the Governor’s security details being assisted into the emergency ward of the Central Hospital for treatment. There was also great concern for Acha, the Observer photo journalist who was still in coma but was rushed to the University of Benin (UBTH).

Dr Aiwuzie who spoke to the worried journalists who kept vigil at the Central Hospital, explained that “nobody is on danger list now but all of them will be involved in some scans so as to ensure that they are okay. But we are on top of the matter and I want to assure you that they will all be fine. We have lost three in Auchi and we don’t intend to lose anyone again”.

Asked about the Governor’s health, she added that “the Governor is okay even though he is still in shock but that will also be taken care of. We thank God he escaped by the whiskers and he is fine that was why he was able to assist in rescuing the victims”.