Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
A secondary school pupil was crushed yesterday, by one of the mass transit buses, popularly known as ‘Ajumose’, owned by the Oyo State Government.
The incident was said to have occurred at Mokola Roundabout, when pupils were on their way home after school hours. The bus was also said to have injured other pupils in the accident.
The Ajumose being managed by the Pacesetters Transport Services (PTS), formerly known as TCTC, is like the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Lagos.
Eyewitnesses said the affected pupils were trying to cross the road at the roundabout, and were at the middle of the road, when the mass transit bus, which, probably, they did not see before attempting to cross the road, rammed into them.
Many of the pupils were said to be injured and reportedly rushed to Alaafia Hospital, Mokola, where a female pupil was confirmed dead, while the others are receiving treatments in the hospital.
But for the timely intervention of the police, the driver of the bus would have been lynched by mob. He was, however, beaten mercilessly before he was rescued by the police.
Mr. Isaac Ajibade, who said he was at the scene when the incident occurred, said the traffic was light at the roundabout when the incident happened.
“Many pupils were going home when, suddenly, the bus appeared and hit them, killing a secondary schoolgirl immediately. Passengers in the bus quickly alighted, but the driver was grabbed by the irate mob. He was beaten before the police came to rescue him from them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer for Oyo State, Mr. Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the accident.
The bus driver, according to him, has been arrested, while the corpse of the girl had been deposited at the morgue of Alaafia Hospital, Mokola.
“The erring driver is in our custody. He has been taken to the Police Hospital, Eleyele for medical attention, following attack on him by the angry mob before the police could rescued him.”