Imported User:
In the past few days, many members of the pen fraternity have lost their lives in the cause of duty. Precisely, the last seven days have been the worst for the practitioners as the cold hands of death had snatched many of their colleagues. Worse still, it was within this period that members of the Boko Haram decided to attack some media houses. The Abuja office of ThisDay Newspaper was destroyed, while the building housing the Kaduna bureaux of ThisDay, SUN and The Moment newspapers were equally hit by bombs from the Boko Haram sect.
As members of the pen profession were mourning this unprovoked attacks and wanton destruction of property by the Boko Haram claimed bomb blasts, news broke last night that three other colleagues had lost their lives in a ghastly auto accident in Edo state.
The deceased were reporters attached to the Edo state Government House who were in the convoy of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The governor was on a campaign trail to Auchi to officially flag-off his return bid campaign.
Reports said that the accident occurred when a lorry lost control and crashed into the governor’s convoy. The accident occurred few kilometers to Auchi town between Ivbiaro and Auchi axis of the Auchi/Sabongidda-Ora road.
Two of the victims were from the privately-owned Independent Television (ITV), Benin-city; Messrs. Olatunji Jacobs, a Reporter and George Okojie, a Cameraman and Fidelis Ohani of the Africa Independent Television (AIT).
Yesterday’s incident would bring to the number to three of ITV members of staff who had died in the last three weeks. It was barely three weeks ago, when Chucks Ogu, a photojournalist with ITV, owned by business tycoon, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, was reportedly killed by armed bandits.
Yesterday’s incident, according to Government House sources occurred on the Afuze- Ihievbe-Warrake Road in Owan East Local Government Area, also left eight others including the driver of the Toyota Hiace, simply known as Samson in critical condition.
