Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun on Thursday escaped death in an auto accident at the Ibafo axis of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Juwon Soyinka, said in a statement that the incident happened when a bullion van belonging to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ran into Amosun’s convoy in the area.
He said: “The incident which occurred around Ibafo while the governor was travelling to Lagos for an official assignment, resulted in damage to the escort vehicles in the governor’s convoy.
“The CBN convoy drivers, driving dangerously, attempted to overtake the governor’s convoy without regard for the safety of other road users.
“On sensing danger, the governor’s escort commander used a public address system mounted on his vehicle to warn the CBN convoy drivers to desist from such reckless driving.
“Not only was the governor’s escort commander ignored, the CBN convoy drivers went ahead to crush his vehicle and subsequently went after other vehicles in the governor’s convoy, including his official car.
” The CBN convoy was later brought to a halt by the security team attached to the governor,” Soyinka said.
Amosun, according to Soyinka, described the manner of driving of the drivers in the CBN convoy as reckless.
“We will not allow such senseless and reckless behaviour in Ogun State,” Soyinka quoted Amosun as saying.
Soyinka also said: “ If this could happen to a governor within his territory, you can imagine what they would do to our citizens who are simply going about their legitimate business.
“Governor Amosun, who expressed disappointment at the reckless manner in which the CBN bullion van convoy moved on the road, warned that such act of impunity will no longer be tolerated within the borders of Ogun.’’
He explained that the governor had cause to personally caution reckless CBN convoy drivers in the state on a number of occasions.
“On several occasions, the Ogun State governor had to personally turn back reckless CBN bullion van drivers who often drive against traffic with impunity on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway,” he said. (NAN)