An Abuja-bound driver and his passenger narrowly escaped death after their Toyota Camry plunged into a ditch at a road construction site in Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, amid complaints by residents over alleged safety lapses by contractors.
The accident occurred on Sunday along the Ikare route after the vehicle reportedly lost control while negotiating a hilly section of the university community in Akoko South-West Local Government Area.
The driver, who said he was travelling to Abuja, was visibly shaken after the car somersaulted into the excavated section of the road.
“I was on my way to Abuja when the car somersaulted into the ditch,” he said.
An eyewitness, Kayode Abodunrin, alleged that an 18-seater Hiace bus hit the Toyota Camry as it plunged into the ditch, adding that the bus driver fled the scene.
Other residents blamed the road construction workers, accusing them of leaving excavated portions of the road exposed without adequate warning signs or protective barriers to alert motorists.
A resident, who identified himself as Lekan, alleged that at least five people had died in accidents linked to the condition of the road, calling on the contractors to urgently address the safety concerns.
“We have lost no fewer than five people because of what is happening here. The contractors should not dig ditches and leave them uncovered without adequate warning signs or protective measures,” he said.
