Better late than never, they say. This incident happened on Sunday 3rd October, 2010. I think I owe it a duty to narrate this show of efficiency. I had to travel from Kaduna to Lagos on that day. Our vehicle, a Ford Galaxy, departed Mando Park around 7am. The young and friendly driver whom I heard answering Nathaniel drove with care and dexterity till we reached Ibillo in Edo State around 1pm. So far the trip had been very enjoyable with fellow passengers discussing a variety of topics while Nathaniel occasionally smiled while concentrating on his work. Immediately after the Total filling statio at Ibillo, a white garment church seemed to have closed from service judging by the multitude of their members seen from afar. That was when the undesirable happened. I think we were moving at about 120km/h. A boy of about 10, from nowhere, just attempted to cross to the other side without even looking. Nathaniel tried his best to avoid hitting the boy, but the left headlight still made a terrible contact with him. We all knew that the boy must be dead. And he was!
That was a terrible sight to behold. We were filled with terror seeing how people started running towards us. A man in his late 30s picked the boy's corpes and beckoned an okada rider. They zoomed off to hospital. The pastor of the white garment church immediately entered our vehicle and ordered the driver to quickly drive to the Ibillo police station because, as he said, 'he knew what his people could do'.
As soon as we had reached the station, the man that took the boy's corpse to the hospital came and made a distress call to the DPO to come fast, very fast to save the situation. We later learnt that he was a police too. In that hot afternoon, the DPO, apparently resting at home, wasted no time. In less than 5 minutes he appeared. A hefty, authoritative man. By then, half of the village had arrived at the station threatening to kill the occupants of the vehicle and burn it as well. The DPO ordered us to be kept inside and warned the youths to allow the law to take its course. He calmed them by saying nothing could bring the boy back to life, so further loss of lives or properties was not a solution. The few of them that wanted to be stubborn were sternly threatened, and therefore had to stay away. I was so chilled with fear while the all these were taking place. One of the policemen, seeing my body language, spoke Hausa to me and asked me not to worry). We were all praying. I was so busy reciting fatiha.
Nathaniel was then kept inside a different room while he contacted his employers at Kaduna. They were asked to come the following day for settlement. We the 6 passengers were further kept for close to 3 hours to 'allow things calm down'. The boy was buried same day. Around 5pm the DPO provided us with escort to the village's motor park where we boarded Akure bus.
I have never seen a more proactive trio than the first police, the pastor and the DPO. Through them, the Almighty God saved us. Wherever they are now, God bless them. And we were told the boy crossed and bought sweets. The sweets he could not enjoy. So pathetic. May his soul rest in peace.
I wish I had seen Nathaniel again, such a jovial fellow
That's my story, fellow Nairalanders.

Cc: Lalasticlala

As bail is free, black institution for dark minds

Speedg @ 120 w residence close? Aba!

What a tragic tale.The driver was speeding at such speed and you were all gisting and laughing without telling him to reduce speed.You should thank the lord that he did not send you all to the great beyond.

Thank God for your life..

But do you know what will happen to the Mr. Jovial Nathaniel after you have gone? You have no idea.

wadetaw202:
But do you know what will happen to the Mr. Jovial Nathaniel after you have gone? You have no idea.

surely we know some money will be exchanged, but lives had been saved! If not for the Police, seven more lives would have joined that of the boy.
Great job by the NPF, at least for this one

ikeno:
What a tragic tale.The driver was speeding at such speed and you were all gisting and laughing without telling him to reduce speed.You should thank the lord that he did not send you all to the great beyond.

So you want people travelling from Kaduna to Lagos to be moving at 100km/hr? Though I agree that speed should have been reduced on sighting the crowd but again they were still out of town and the driver must have thought there is no need doing so!