Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson has expressed deep pain, shock and grief over the death of the wife of Professor Edmond Allison-Oguru, the Secretary to the State Government and a group of women in a fatal road accident along the Ahoada/Elele section of the East/West Road in Rivers State.
In a statement released on Sunday, Governor Dickson described the incident as “tragic, a monumental and painful loss to the State”, stressing that “the women that lost their lives in the accident were our mothers and sisters”.
Dickson also prayed to God to grant the bereaved families the courage and strength to bear the “very painful and irreparable losses”.
Meanwhile, a Government House statement says, all official engagements of the Governor has been suspended for three days as a mark of honour and respect for the souls of the departed women.
The accident occurred when the tyre of an oncoming Toyota Sienna van exploded and rammed into the bus conveying the women.
A former councillor in Ogbia Local Government Area, Gbaregolo Eseimokumo, listed some of the victims to a local online newspaper as Consider Amadi, a former women leader in Ogbia; Clara Abila, a grassroots politician; Immaculate Amasimua, former Commissioner at the Civil Service Commission in Bayelsa; and Elisabeth Oguru, wife of the Secretary to the State Government.
Others are Zimbra Goma, former Commissioner for Women Affairs; Ruby Benjamin, former House of Assembly member representing Brass Constituency 1 in Bayelsa; amongst others.
One of the women is reported to have survived the crash and is receiving treatment.
