A female official (names
withheld) of Imo State
Command of the Federal
Road Safety Corps, FRSC, was,
at the weekend, crushed by a
tipper lorry, just as Governor
Rochas Okorocha expressed
deep shock over the tragedy
that befell Umudagu, Ihitte
Isi Mbieri community in
Mbaitoli local council area, on
Thursday night.
The Mbieri tragedy followed
a torrential rain that was
accompanied by thunder,
lightening and a ferocious
windstorm, which pulled
down a huge tree known as
Osisi Ukwu Uko and claimed
lives.
Okorocha described the
incident as “a very sad
natural disaster” and
wondered why some elders
in the community resisted
previous efforts made by
some people to cut down the
tree before it claimed scores
of precious lives. “This is a
very sad natural disaster. I
wonder why some elders in
the community resisted
earlier moves by some
people to cut down the tree
before it claimed lives and
brought untold anguish to
many families”, the governor
said.
He appealed to people to
resist the temptation of
dwelling on superstitious
beliefs, especially as such
negates what he called
“sound sense of reasoning”.
Okorocha directed other
communities with similar
trees to cut them down
immediately to avoid a
repeat of the sad incident. In
the interim, the governor
directed the Mayor of Owerri,
Dr. Kachi Nwoga, to make
available to his office
information in respect of the
victims of the disaster.
“Government has plans to
give succour to the
immediate families that lost
their loved ones in the
unfortunate disaster”, he
said.
Meanwhile, Okorocha has
visited the scene of the
disaster and directed
relevant government
agencies to continue the
rescue operation, as well as
clear the debris.
The FRSC official who was
crushed by the tipper lorry
with registration number AE
285 ABN, on Friday, was said
to be trying to cross the ever
busy Owerri-Umuahia federal
highway. The incident
occurred at the roundabout
close to Imo State
headquarters of the FRSC
Sector Command, Egbu.
Shocked FRSC personnel
declined to speak to Sunday
Vanguard on the death and
referred our correspondent
to the Sector Commander,
who was said to be
unavailable.www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/lorry-crushes-frsc-official-in-imo/

R.I.P to the dead