By Dennis Okechukwu
Two persons lost their lives on Friday in a road accident involving an 18-seater bus conveying passengers to the burial of the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor.
The crash occurred on the Toru-Orua axis of the Sagbama–Ekeremor Road in Bayelsa State.
Confirming the incident, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefs Brisibe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that two victims died at the scene, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
He dismissed reports claiming that more than 10 people died in the accident, describing them as false.
According to him, the state ambulance service responded promptly, evacuating seven injured passengers to the Sagbama General Hospital and 10 others to the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital in Okolobiri.
“Two persons died at the scene, while the remaining victims are currently in stable condition,” Brisibe said, adding that the swift deployment of ambulances helped to prevent further loss of life.
Meanwhile, the burial of the late Deputy Governor, Dr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, was ongoing in Ofoni, Sagbama Local Government Area, at the time of filing this report.
Dr Ewhrudjakpo reportedly died on December 11 after slumping while on duty at the Government House in Yenagoa.