By Bose Adelaja
If anybody had told “Baba”,a mechanic with the LAGBUS Management Authority that death was lurking around that fateful Wednesday, January 25, 2012, he would have waved it aside as the machination of his enemies. Baba, as he was fondly called by his colleagues at LAGBUS, was killed by the stationary bus he was trying to put in order.

The incident which took place at Sabo market in Ikorodu resulted into a near pandemonium as market women and other sympathizers rushed to the scene to catch a glimpse of the mangled body of the deceased auto mechanic.

Vanguard Metro learnt that on that fateful Wednesday, Baba was assigned the responsibility of repairing the company’s stationery bus marked183  with number plate XU 898 AAA. In the course of carrying out the assignment, the deceased allegedly slipped and fell into a gutter while the same bus he was trying to repair, also skidded into the gutter and crushed him to death.

*LAGBUS buses at their depot

VM learnt that the LAGBUS vehicle with no occupant, suddenly rolled on its own, veered out from the LAGBUS depot and zoomed off through the gate to the major road.

While it was rolling, it hit a school bus with registration number X2730 AKD belonging to Sun and Stars College, Ikorodu. The impact broke the rear light but luckily, all the students in the bus escaped unhurt. As if that was not enough damage, the bus which was descending a slope, ran unto an oncoming Opel Astra wagon belonging to one Pastor Sunday Adeniyi.

The Ope was registered   with  DX729LSD and inscription ‘’Finger of God’’. The impact from the LAGBUS vehicle damaged the car’s bonnet and other parts of the vehicle. The sloppy nature of the road did not help matters as the bus skidded unto the major road. It was at this point that the attention of Baba was called and as a diligent employee, he ran towards the vehicle in an attempt to halt is further movement.

Vanguard Metro was told that as the deceased  tried to jump into the moving bus in a bid to stop it from moving farther, he slipped and fell into a ditch where the bus also fell into and in the process, smashed him to death.

The incident caused a serious traffic snarl at Sabo-Ikorodu and its environ as sympathisers ran to the scene to rescue him. He was later rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital where he gave up the ghost.

Officials of Lagos State Traffic and Management Authority LASTMA and other law enforcement agents, who later arrived the scene of the accident and assisted in controlling the traffic.

On noticing the damage done to his car, Pastor Adeniyi ran to Sabo Police Station to  report the development. At about 2.15pm, a team of Policemen visited the scene. They also went to the LAGBUS depot, inside Sabo market to verify the report.

But their visit almost turned sour as LAGBUS staff furiously descended on them and the complainant threatening to burn his car. Providence was however on the side of the clergyman as he  managed to save his car from being burnt.

Pastor Adeniyi told VM that  he was beaten by one Mr. Phillip O, the depot leader and his team. Their grouse was that three days earlier, they buried their colleague three days before the incident while another one died on that fateful Wednesday.

An eye witness, Madam Oriade Basirat told Vanguard Metro that she saw the deceased about 10 minutes before the incident. ‘’I saw him eating few minutes ago without  knowing I would be seeing him for the last time. This is the second time a LAGBUS will kill its staff. Ah! This must not happen again, Baba was a hardworking person who did not joke with his job,’’ she said.

Another eye witness, Mr. Femi Paul said the disaster was the second one in the last two weeks. ‘’It is possible the bus was on gear. I cannot imagine how it moved to an unknown destination when nobody was driving it. The mechanic ran after it but it ended up killing its own mechanic, this is a tragic situation,’’ he said.

Speaking with VM, Pastor Adeniyi said the controversy that emanated from the brushing of his carhas been resolved at the Police Station. ‘’They wanted to sweep it under the carpet but my sister who is also a police officer had to intervene and asked the DPO to handle it with all sincerity.

I was referred to the DPO who invited Mr. Philip and his team to his office. Also, LAGBUS officials have visited the Police station and have declared their intention to the bills. Initially, I  left everything to God but things later changed as soon as the LAGBUS management visited the station. They have decided to take up the case and pay for the damages,’’ he said.

Speaking to VM on phone, the Public Relations Officer to LAGBUS Asset Management,  Mr. Durojaye Olanrewaju confirmed the incident. He said his orgnisation will handle the case accordingly. ‘’It is a tragic incident and nobody prays for such a thing but when it happens, there is nothing we can do.  Baba will be given a befitting burial because we hold our staff in high esteem,’’ he said.