From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Osun State Government has debunked the claim that its palliative bus inscribed ‘Imole Bus’ killed a motorcyclist was untrue.
The bus was said to have lost control and killed a motorcyclist on Sunday.
But, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oyedele Olusesan, in a statement on Tuesday, said the minor accident occurred when the motorcyclist was trying to avoid a head-on collision.
“My attention has been drawn to a misleading narrative by a known source of fake news on the unfortunate incident involving Imole Bus and a motorcyclist within Osogbo on Sunday.
“It is imperative to note that Imole Bus did not lose control but the minor accident occurred after the motorcyclist rammed into its side mirror while trying to avoid a collision with a trailer in his direction, which could have been more fatal.
“The Imole Bus which conveyed a team of athletes to Otan-Ayegbaju for the ongoing national table tennis tournament hosted by the state was returning from the venue of the tournament when the incident occurred. The driver of Imole Bus rushed to the aid of the motorcyclist and facilitated his immediate transfer to a hospital, where he is currently in stable condition.
“It is disturbing that some people choose to play politics with something as important as human life, going as far as pronouncing the victim dead just to score a cheap political point, as the social media has been recklessly flooded by known cyber bullies to spin negative news about Osun State Government and the residents.
“It is important that I reiterate that Imole Buses are in good condition and fit for use on our roads. As a government, we take seriously the issue of safety of not just passengers who use those buses but also residents.
“Therefore, I want to enjoin the public to discountenance the calculated campaign of calumny targeted at Imole Bus and to know for certain that the Ademola Adeleke administration will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of the people,” Olusesan said.