No fewer than 15 Jehovah’s Witness worshippers yesterday died in a road crash at Awomama Bridge in Imo State.
The accident occurred about 6.45 p.m. at a deplorable spot on Awomama Bridge in the state.
The victims, from Agwa community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, were in a bus returning from the annual Jehovah’s Witness Assembly Convention in Uli, Anambra State, when a trailer coming from a one-way traffic lane collided with the bus conveying the worshippers, killing all the passengers.
Their bodies have been deposited in a morgue.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Oguta Local Government Area, Ifeanyi Nnani, in a statement on Tuesday, expressed shock over the ghastly accident that claimed the lives of people from his area.
The statement, signed by his aide, Orum Desmond, commiserated with the family members of the deceased.
The statement read: “The Executive Chairman of Oguta Local Government Area, Hon. Ifeanyi Nnani, has received with a heavy heart the news of the accident that took away the lives of over 10 persons from Agwa Community along Onitsha-Owerri Road this evening on their way back home to Agwa after their successful Jehovah’s Witness Assembly Convention at Uli, Anambra State.
“Oguta Local Government Area has once again witnessed another dark moment, very tragic and sorrowful. These pathetic incidents have once more reminded the people of Oguta, and Agwa, of the intense sorrow that took away the lives of Agwa people suddenly in the past.
“While consoling the entire Agwa Community over the loss, the Executive Chairman also wants to, in a special way, extend his profound condolences to the immediate family members that suddenly lost their beloved ones to these unforeseen circumstances.”
Nnani prayed to God to comfort and strengthen the immediate family members over the losses.
“May God Almighty comfort and provide for the immediate families, and strengthen them, mainly during this dark and mourning period. May their souls and the souls of other faithful departed, through the mercies of God, rest in peace. Amen,” he consoled.
In their condolences, the Mazi Progressive Network (MPN), in a statement signed by the Media Coordinator and Public Communication Head Unit, Oguta Local Council Chapter, Imo State, Ralph Ibe, and the kinsmen of the victims, under the aegis of Renaissance Oguta Constituency (ROC), in another statement signed by the Convener, John Uchenwoke-Epkerechi, expressed grief over the carnage, urging both the federal and state governments to fix the road infrastructure in the state to tackle avoidable loss of lives.
