One of the six survivors of the Kaduna/Abuja
Road auto accident which claimed the lives of six doctors and their
driver, has opened up on what actually happened that day.
Dr. Ekundare Folu, chairman of National Association of Government and
General Medical and Dental Practitioners in Ekiti, yesterday, denied a
claim by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) that the driver over-sped,
an action which killed the doctors.
Folu was emphatic that no FRSC official could have given an accurate picture of the accident, as they arrived 40 minutes late.
In a message he posted in a WhatsApp group for doctors, Folu
said policemen at the scene of the accident refused to move the corpses
of the six doctors who died until they were paid N4,500.
“The comment credited to the Sector Head of Operations, Deputy Corps
Commander, Salisu Galadunci, of the FRSC is very unfortunate. This is an
FRSC that got to the scene of the accident more than 40 minutes after
the accident. This is an FRSC that were reluctant to take us to the
hospital claiming they don’t have fuel and did not budge until one of
the injured promised to buy fuel for them.
“The deputy corps commander was not at the scene of the accident.
“Neither himself, nor any representative of his, spoke to any of the
people in the vehicle, six of whom myself included survived.
“The deputy corps commander did not even see the vehicle either at
the scene of the accident or at the police station. How he jumped to
that conclusion is beyond me. The comment is an insult to my dead
colleagues and a slap on those of us who survived.
“For his information, this is not a driver we picked off the road to
take us for the journey. This is a man that has been working with us for
more than four years. He is indirectly telling the world that a bus of
12 doctors, including several senior consultants could not control a
driver we employed and pay salaries to.
“I was in the same vehicle (and sat) in the row behind the driver and
I checked the speedometer from time to time. The bus also makes a
beeping sound once the speed exceeds 110km/hr. Let me state
categorically that the bus driver was not speeding. The FRSC are
probably only trying to justify their intention to sell their speed
limiting device to Nigerians hence associating every possible accident
to excessive speeding. And, it is sad that they would even attempt to
use such a sad event to do such.
“Even the police would not convey the bodies to the mortuary in their
van until we parted with N4,000. I personally dropped N3,000 but the
police officer rejected it, dropping the money on their vehicle until
the NMA Chairman, Dr. Akinbote added N1,500. The second police vehicle
that conveyed those of us unhurt and our luggage to join the others to
the hospital also had to be topped with N3,500 black market fuel paid
for by me. Governor Ayodele Fayose, God bless you, for your care and
support.
“Special thanks to the senator representing Doka Local Government in
Kaduna for deeming it fit to visit us in the hospital. The NMA Kaduna
was also wonderful.
“Thank you so much. CMD Neuropsychiatric Hospital, God bless you. All others who assisted or visited us in Kaduna, thank you.”
Dr. Aladesanmi buried
Meanwhile, one of the deceased six doctors, Dr. Tunde Aladesanmi, was
buried amid tears at his family residence in Araromi Quarters off
Adebayo, in Ado Ekiti yesterday.
His funeral rite was performed at the Redeemed Christian Church of
God (RCCG), Life Fountain Cathedral on Bank Road in the state capital.