Reality Of The Tragedy Of Pharm. (Mrs) Francisca Luevese Ijoho And The Negligent Approach Of The Nigeiran Police To Take Vicarious Liability

By Ukan Kurugh.

In the wake of the accident that occurred on Sunday 3rd July, 2016 around the Entrepreneurship Development Centre, Makurdi which one Pharm. (Mrs) Francisca Ijoho was a victim, a lot of reports have emerged from both print and electronic media trying to explain without corroboration what actually transpired. In my usual humble style of investigative reportage, I personally paid a visit to the victim and her husband, Hon. (Dr) Samuel Msonter Ijoho at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi to hear from them.

ON HOW IT HAPPENED

On this day, the victim had closed from church (Olive Branch Church) located beside NNPC Mega Station Otukpo Road, Makurdi and borded a bike to Assembly Quarters to see her elder sister. Around the Entrepreneurship Development Centre former Staff Development Centre, just after The Voice Newspaper Office, a police patrol van (Peugot 406) was approaching on high speed from the opposite direction with sirens on.

Those who are familiar with that route will acknowledge the fact that there is a big pot hole immediately you pass the Development Centre. On high speed and in a dramatic need to evade the pot hole, the driver of the police patrol vehicle switched to the other lane meant for people going towards Nyiman. It was in the face of this that, all attempts by the bike man to avoid the impending danger failed and the police vehicle had a head-on collision with the motorcycle that carried Mrs. Ijoho. Sorrowfully, the bike man died at the spot and his motorcycle equally caught fire as a result of spark created by the collision.

WHAT HAPPENED THEREAFTER AND HOW THE VICTIM GOT TO THE HOSPITAL

Sorrowfully, in the heat of the pain incurred by the living victim and the terrific sight of the already dead bike man, the Police were insisting that Road Safety Officers must come before further action. It was in the middle of the argument that a good Samaritan who recognized the Victim as a fellow church member decided to take her in his vehicle and headed for the Teaching Hospital. On seeing this, the driver of the police patrol vehicle was absent choice than to pick a bike and follow up. On arrival at the hospital, the victim was recognized as a staff of the hospital and was immediately admitted for treatment.

THE NATURE OF INJURIES SHE INCURRED AND RESPONSE TO TREATMENT

Due to the fatality of the accident, the victim suffered multiple fractures. The lower part of her legs is shattered in pieces and the thigh bone is equally fractured. The left arm of the victim is also fractured  in two places. The victim has since then endured two surgeries on her hand and the lower part of her legs and is responding positively to treatment. Equally, she expressed satisfaction with the commendable nature of the services given her and the seriousness exhibited by the team of medical practitioners handling her health.

The victim expressed dismay and disappointment shown her by the very people who put her into her lamentable situation. She explained that, apart from the day the accident occurred and she was accompanied by the driver of the van to the hospital, some police officers later showed up requesting her to make a statement which she was indisposed to as a result of medical treatment, the police never showed up. They took the number of the husband of the victim promising that, the DPO was going to call and up till this moment, the anticipated call is yet to be received.

Husband of the victim explained further that, in an attempt to reach the police, he went to the police station where he was cautioned not to bring the entire Police force into the picture of what transpired, but to try to meet the driver who drove the vehicle on that day. On request for the name and particulars of the driver in question, he was equally turned down.

REACTION TO THE DIVERGENT NATURE OF UN CORROBORATED REPORTS ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. 

Mrs. Ijoho expressed disappointed that even state owned media outfits could not get to the root of the matter and went on to give false news about what transpired. She expressed shock that she heard Radio Benue report that the bike had carried two passengers and insisted that she did not board the bike with any other person and posited that she hasn't done so since she got married. Mr Ijoho further affirmed that it was practically impossible for his wife to have sat on a bike with somebody else and if so, where was the person, hence his wife was in the hospital and the bike man was already dead.
The victim further expressed discomfort with another version of the story that linked the scenario to hoodlums attack. She encouraged reporters to perceive her condition from the humane angle and desist from reporting hearsay.

Husband of the victim, Hon. (Dr.) Samuel Msonter Ijoho gave thanks to God for sparing the life of his loving wife, believing that, if not God the situation would have been worst, hence even the very man who rode the bike lost his life in the tragedy.


Ukan Kurugh writes in from Makurdi Benue State.

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