51 Accident Victims Buried In Benin

A mass burial was Saturday conducted in Benin City for the 51 victims of the multiple accident that occurred at Igbogui village, located along Benin/Ore expressway, in the western part of Nigeria.

The accident which occurred Friday April 5, involved a luxury bus belonging to the Young Shall Grow Motors, an articulated vehicle belonging to the Dangote Group and a fuel-laden petrol tanker, left scores of people dead and properties worth millions of naira burnt.

The remains of the accident victims, wrapped in plastic bags, were conveyed to 1st Cemetery-venue of the mass burial in several trucks.

Apostle Barnabas Chukwukere of End Time Soul Winners Outreach, Benin City, who conducted a brief Mass at the Cemetery, prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims, adding that a time has been apportioned for every man to die.

He appealed to the relatives of the deceased who were present to accept what has happened and move on with their lives. Family members and friends of the accident victims, who wore black attires, were present at the cemetery to witness the interment of their loved ones.

Most of them cried and wailed, while the bodies were being interred, as they bemoaned what became of their loved ones.

The remains were interred at the First Cemetery in Benin, after being transported from the UBTH mortuary.

Mr Aikonogie Wilfred, UBTH’s Chief Mortician who spoke to newsmen at the cemetery, said the 51 bodies were given mass burial because the bodies could not be identified. He said those who tried to identify them were relatives of the accident victims when they visited the hospital earlier.

Wilfred disclosed that two corpses had been identified and taken away by the accident victims’ relatives adding that identification and burial only involved bodies of dead accident victims brought to the hospital.

At the cemetery, concerned family members, relatives and friends wailed as the bodies sealed in a bag were deposited into the grave from a truck.

Odiamah Chika, who said he lost a mother, niece and a nephew, expressed regret that Nigeria had lost more lives to road accidents than it did during the 1967-1970 Nigerian Civil War.

He lamented the absence of comprehensive data among agencies in the transport sector to ascertain the authenticity of the figures of those who die in road mishaps.

Sunday 14 April 2013

http://www.dailytimes.com.ng/article/51-human-bodies-sealed-bags

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/04/13/51-accident-victims-buried-in-benin/