12 Bayelsa State Women Leaders Die in Auto-Crash
Twelve prominent female members of the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party have died following a ghastly auto crash on the Ahoada/Elele section of the East/West Road, Rivers State.
The women, who were members of the female wing of the PDP, known as Women For Change Initiatives, were returning to Yenagoa after visiting the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan in her hometown, Okrika in Rivers State and seeing her off to the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), through the Bayelsa state Commander, Vincent Jack, said that 29 passengers in three separate vehicles were involved in the accident, and 18 persons were reportedly injured, while 11 others were burnt beyond recognition.
The accident which was caused by a burst tyre involved three vehicles, a Toyota Hiace Bus with registration number, GBB591FS, Toyota Siena with registration number, ABU640AE and Toyota Highlander Jeep with registration number, YEN 371RJ.
The FRSC’s Preliminary report said: ”The injured were taken to Madonna Hospital in Elele by the Police who first came to the scene. The Corpse of one dead Woman was deposited at Oepdem Mortuary in Ahoada while police took another Corpse to Rumuji. Nine others were burnt beyond recognition”.
The Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has released a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iwariso-Markson, expressing deep pains, shock and grief over the sudden death of the wife of Professor Edmond Allison-Oguru, the Secretary to the State Government and the other women in the group.
The governor has also suspended all his official engagements for three days as a mark of honour and respect for the souls of the departed women.
The victims include a former Member of the State House of Assembly from Brass Local Government and Special Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson, Mrs. Ruby Benjamin, a Former Commissioner for Women Affairs under the administration of Gov. Timipre Sylva, Gimbra Panowei, the Wife of Prof. Edmond Oguru, the Secretary to the State Government,Mrs.Elizabeth Allison-Oguru.
Others include a Woman Leader from Otuoke Community in Ogbia local government, Madam Consider Amadi and the wife of the owner of a popular Montessori school known as Ayakpo International schools, Mrs. Inamamu Ayakpor.
