Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on Saturday personally led the rescue of more than 10 victims of a fatal road accident along the Benin–Auchi highway, after his convoy encountered a major traffic gridlock caused by the crash.
The governor, who was en route to Irrua in Esan Central Local Government Area, stopped midway to investigate the traffic build-up near the bypass. On reaching the accident scene, he was met with a distressing sight: passengers sprawled on the ground, some bleeding heavily, while bystanders looked on in shock and confusion.
Eyewitnesses reported that the accident was triggered when the driver of a white Toyota Venza, with registration number ABUJA GWA 50 AW, allegedly drove against traffic and collided head-on with three fully loaded commercial minibuses. The impact left scores of passengers with severe injuries and brought traffic to a halt.
Moved by the condition of the victims, Governor Okpebholo ordered his aides to immediately deploy two of his security Hilux vehicles to ferry the injured to the nearest medical facility. He supervised the rescue exercise himself, ensuring each victim—including a severely wounded woman—was carefully lifted into the vehicles for urgent treatment.
“He stayed until the last victim was evacuated before he continued his journey,” one eyewitness told reporters, describing the governor’s intervention as “life-saving.”
Motorists and residents at the scene applauded Okpebholo’s swift action, which many said prevented further loss of life in the absence of an immediate official emergency response.
As of press time, neither the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) nor the Edo State Government had released an official statement on the crash.
The incident has once again raised concerns about reckless driving and the dangers of motorists plying against traffic on Nigerian highways—a practice that has led to repeated tragedies.
