Olusegun Adeyemo
The Ondo State Government has vowed to bring justice to victims of the recent tragic accident in Akungba-Akoko, promising to identify and prosecute those responsible, including the owner of the truck involved.
The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kayode Ajulo (SAN), made this known in a statement issued in Lagos on Friday, describing the incident as “inhuman and avoidable.”
Ajulo said the state had already commenced an investigation to ascertain the true ownership of the truck that reportedly lost control and rammed into roadside shops along the Owo-Akungba-Ikare Expressway on Wednesday, killing 10 people, including a pregnant woman and her child.
“In the controversy over ownership of the truck, what is inhuman is that the owner should have at least commiserated with the families of the dead but chose to be silent,” Ajulo said.
The Attorney General disclosed that the state will prosecute both the driver and the company responsible for the vehicle once ownership is confirmed. He added that no individual or corporate entity would be spared if found guilty of negligence.
“Enough is enough. The loss of lives due to criminal negligence can no longer go unchecked. From this moment forward, both the drivers involved in these horrific incidents and the company itself will be held vicariously liable,” he warned.
Dr. Ajulo expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of fatal road accidents involving trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles in Ondo and across Nigeria, noting that many of them result from poor vehicle maintenance and untrained drivers.
He reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration to protect residents and ensure stricter enforcement of road safety laws.
“We will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law for this criminal negligence,” he declared.
Ajulo further called for a comprehensive review of safety compliance among transport and logistics companies, emphasizing the need for driver training and strict adherence to safety standards.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report reckless truck drivers to relevant authorities, assuring that the state government will not relent in its efforts to safeguard lives and restore discipline on the roads.