Details of how a lawyer lost about eight members of his family in a
road accident that occurred last Friday in Okoghue, Ahoada Local
Government Area of Rivers State emerged yesterday.
They were heading for Babcock University, Ilishan, Remo, Ogun State
for the graduation of their daughter, Miss Margaret Okwuikpo.
Incidentally, the community where the accident happened was where
about 200 people died in a fuel tanker explosion last year. Last
weekend’s tragedy occurred in the morning, not specifically involving
any other vehicle. Daily Sun gathered that the lawyer, Mr. Prince
Abali, who is attached to the state Department of Public Prosecution
(DPP), though had one of his legs amputated, was the only survivor.
Mr. Abali, who is in critical condition at the Orthopaedic Section of
the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Choba, Port
Harcourt, as at the time of filing this report, is not aware of the
death of other co-travellers and had not been allowed to receive calls.
The victims were travelling in a chartered Hummer bus to witness the
graduation of Miss Okwuikpo.
Meanwhile, the state branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), is
urging members to pray for their colleague. At the state’s Judiciary
Complex, Port Harcourt, the news of the tragedy came as a surprise and
unbelievable to the lawyers.
Recall that a devastated Miss Okwuikpo on Monday left the university for Port Harcourt in tears.
Her parents and six other family members died in the accident.
Okwuikpo, a science graduate, was in inconsolable grief throughout the
ceremonies which took place on Sunday in spite of efforts by the Vice
Chancellor, Prof Kayode Makinde and others to comfort her.
Her close friend, (names withheld) told our reporter that Okwuikpo
is devastated by the tragedy, as she kept wondering why such incident
should befall her, two days to her graduation.
A source said the school provided a bus that took her to the Garden
City, where she is expected to meet other relatives for preparations for
the victims burial.
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