One person was killed while many narrowly escaped death in Moniya, Akinyele local government area of Oyo state on Friday as officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) engaged a cab driver in a hot chase.

The FRSC van marked 1139 (3) and the Micra car with number plate Lagos 831 DH were badly damaged as they both plunged into a deep ditch.

The officials were said to have engaged the recalcitrant driver who failed to stop when flagged down by the officials.

Instead of taking the driver’s car particulars as he was speeding away, the officials rather engaged him and both vehicles crash landed with officials also sustaining injuries.

According to eyewitness account,

“We saw how the FRSC officials were pursuing the unpainted commercial car. The officials were trying to overtake the car and in the process both of them plunged into this wide hole by the roadside.

“We were told that the FRSC were chasing the car because it was not painted the normal commercial colour. The passengers in the car were shouting and pleading with the officials not to risk their lives, but they did not heed their pleas.

“Like a movie, we just saw and heard a deafening noise after they crashed. The Micra car summersaulted before it crashed into the ditch followed by the FRSC van.

“The driver of the Micra car had stopped breathing by the time they carried him. Other four passengers in the car were critically injured when they pulled them out. Blood covered them all over.”

Several Micra drivers who were wailing uncontrollably over the reported death of their colleague identified as Akeem Ibrahim, had mobilised themselves against the FRSC officials.

But the timely intervention of five Hilux police vans with scores of policemen curtailed the angry drivers.

One of the drivers who was weeping said, he was at the motor park when he received a call that one of our vehicles had crashed.

He said,

“We got here now to see the extent of the crash. Why are these FRSC officials causing deaths instead of saving lives?

“To the amazement of the sympathizers, the FRSC officials who got there were just trying to cover the code on the car.

“There is a number on the bonnet and the side of the door. They opened the bonnet and the car door to conceal the code. If they were right, would they be doing that?”, the eye witness said.

Within some minutes after the accident, the FRSC officials came to evacuate their van leaving the car.

The Oyo state police command confirmed the death of one person in the accident.

Police spokesman, Olugbenga Fadeyi told Punch,

“The incident happened in Akinyele local government. We gathered they had collision and both plunged into a ditch. One person, as at the time when the matter was reported, was confirmed dead.

“The hoodlums later attempted to seize the opportunity to foment trouble but the timely intervention of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, nibbed the matter in the bud.”

The Public Relations Officer of FRSC, Mr Oluwaseun Onijala could not be reached for comment as at the time of filing this report.