Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

Commercial minibus drivers popularly ‘korope’, on Thursday embarked on a protest as a vehicle belonging to corrections service hit a minibus, injuring two persons in the process.

It was gathered that the van while attempting to manoeuvre and beat the traffic light at Olaiya flyover towards the High Court at Oke-Fia, rammed into the mini-bus, injuring the driver and a female passenger.

The victims were rushed to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, by the NCS escort vehicle, having sustained leg and head injuries.

The situation caused pandemonium as sympathizers accused the operative of the correctional service of driving against the traffic.

Commercial bus drivers and sympathizers blocked the road and it took the efforts of security operatives to disperse them with teargas.

After they were dispersed at Olaiya, they (protesting bus drivers) followed the vehicle conveying the inmates to the court in numbers but we’re not allowed access to the court.

Osun police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola told Vanguard correspondent that the victims were responding to treatment, adding that news trending on social media that the bus driver had died is false.

When our correspondent visited the hospital, visitors were not allowed to enter the Accident and Emergency unit of the teaching hospital.

It was however gathered within the hospital vicinity that the driver suffered a leg fracture, while the female passenger had neck fracture.

Meanwhile, a statement by the Executive Secretary, Office of Transportation, Engr Bilal Adiat, described the incident as unfortunate, saying the government had always stressed the need for commercial motorcyclists and drivers to always obey traffic rules.

“A little patience is all that is needed, you will always get to your destination if you are patient. We don’t need to behave like people who are not guided by law, traffic laws are there for our own good and safety, let’s obey them please”, it reads.