Diri Mourns As 9 Bayelsa Youths Die In Road Accidents

Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri and the people of the state were yesterday thrown into mourning following the untimely deaths of nine promising youths in two separate accidents along the Gwagwalafa-Abuja and Kwale-Asaba roads on Sunday.

While three women and two men who were band members of a prominent Ijaw Musician, Chief Barrister Smooth, died in a fatal road accident along the Abuja-Lokoja Highway on their way for an official musical show in the Federal capital city to mark the inauguration of the National Assembly members on Tuesday.

Four young men, who were identified as related and from Southern Ijaw local government area of the state, died along the Kwale-Asaba road on their way to support the state owned Bayelsa Queens during the final super six league match against Delta Queens which they lost on Sunday by 2-1.

When the two reports filtered into Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, fans of the musician and his deceased backup singers and fans of the Bayelsa Queens football club were left in shock and thrown into a mournful mood.

Diri, in a message posted on his official Facebook page, stated that, ”My heart goes to the families of the deceased in the auto crashes involving Band members of Ijaw music icon, Barrister Smooth along the Kogi-Abuja road and supporters of the Bayelsa Queens Football Club along the Kwale-Asaba highway in Delta State. I also pray for quick healing and recovery for those that sustained injuries in the two accidents”.

It was gathered that the five deceased back up staff of the musical maestro, Barrister Smooth, whose musical band was hired to entertain guests in Abuja during the inauguration of National Assembly members, were traveling from Warri to Abuja when the vehicle carrying seven of the band members got involved in an accident.

According to reports, the band members had boarded the train from Warri to Kogi and were on their way to Abuja when the Toyota Sienna car in which they were traveling had a collision with a tanker belonging to the NNPC.

It was learnt that three of the victims died on the spot while three others died in the hospital. The driver was also said to have died instantly.

A post on one of the major Ijaw community platforms stated that those feared dead include Chief Joseph Ekeremieye, Ikesima Brown, Ebis Awiki, Tuku and others.

Since the news of the unfortunate accident was released, the Ijaw nation has been thrown into mourning.

Ikesima Brown, a popular back up songstress and known as the Queen of Highlife in the Niger Delta reportedly died.

In the separate accident along the Kwale-Asaba road, four young men were reportedly killed in a ghastly motor accident on their way to support the Bayelsa Queens Football club.

The deceased were identified as Philemon Ogidi, Kurotimi Igali, Eze Igali and Clement Diripigi.