A survivor of the train/BRT crash in Lagos on Thursday has talked about the horrific incident.
The crash involving a train and a bus carrying staff of Lagos State government has narrated how leaving her favourite corner to sit with another colleague saved her life.
“Where I normally seat in the bus” she narrated, “was the point the train rammed into.”
Meanwhile, the driver of the Lagos State government staff bus, Oluwaseun Osinbajo, has begged for forgiveness, blaming the accident on a mechanical fault in the bus.
However, survivors said he had his earpiece on while driving and ignored the signalman at the rail line.
He’s undergone several tests, including psychiatric, and authorities have said he will be prosecuted.
‘How I survived’
“My survival a miracle,” the the civil servant, who wished to remain unnamed, said.
“I would have been one of those in the morgue.
“I boarded the bus at Ikotun and sat on the middle row, close to the window, a position that had become my permanent seat.
“But on that fateful day, a friend (names withheld) invited me to come sit with her on the third row in front.
“She said the person she reserved the seat for called to say she won’t be joining the staff bus.
“That was how I left my permanent seat, which happened to be the exact place the train hit.
“Any time I remember that, I would quickly dismiss the thought of death with a shrug.
“This can only be God and I am grateful.”
‘E ma lo, e duro !’ rent the air:
Another survivor who simply gave her name as Ope, said she woke up to shouts of ‘e ma lo, e duro’.
According to Ope, “The staff bus conveys every staff of the Lagos State government living in Ikotun/Isolo area, irrespective of the department or agency, as long as the staff is headed for the secretariat.
“I sat on a seat in the first three rows in front and slept off immediately in order to catch some sleep before reaching the office.
“But I was jostled from sleep by shouts of ‘e ma lo, e duro’ (don’t go, wait).
“I woke up to know what what happening but before I could raise my head, I heard a loud bang. The impact flung many of us from our seats.
“I hit my head on a hard object and passed out. By the time I opened my eyes, I found myself in an ambulance that brought me to Orile Agege General Hospital.”
List of other survivors:
Other survivors that were taken to Orile Agege General hospital on Thursday were Mr. Juwon Fagbohun , 27, from the Agency for Mass Education; Adesoji Ajibade of the Office of the Head of Service; Mariam Olayiwola,18, Ministry of Health and Eniola Fashoyin, 53, from the Office of the Head of Service, PSO Alausa.
Other were Mrs. Adejoke Banjo, 42, from the Office of the Head of Service; Olaide Alabi, 21, a student on Industrial Attachment with the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Empowerment; Sekinat Ogunremi, 24, from the Ministry of Justice; Aishat Gbadegeshin, 25, from the Ministry of Establishment and Training.
Ganiyat Raji, from the Ministry of Science and Technology and Mrs Oluwatoyin Abiodun, 46, a staff of the Ministry of Information and Strategy.
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Courtesy: Vanguard