Doctor, parents, sister die in Benue road crash


The Igbo community in Jos , Plateau
State , have been thrown into
mourning following an auto crash
involving a family of four who were
travelling for a wedding in Anambra
State .
The victims were indigenes of Ufuma
in the Orumba North Local
Government Area of Anambra State .
Although details of the crash were still
sketchy, PUNCH METRO learnt that the
four victims , out of eight members of a
family , were killed when a vehicle in
which they were travelling had an
accident between Aleyede and Oturkpo
in Benue State .
The victims are a patent medicine
dealer , Simon Onwubalili ; his wife,
Ifeoma , who was a staff member of the
National Examination Council ; a
graduate of Medicine awaiting
induction into the NMA, Dr Ijeoma
Onwubalili ; and her sister, Gracious
Onwubalili .
However , the driver of the car with
number plate, Abuja ABC 105 PH, and
one of the family members , Marvel
Onwubalili , survived the accident.
They were said to be going for
Ijeoma’s traditional wedding
scheduled for December 31 , 2017 ,
when the accident occurred.
It was also gathered that the induction
of Ijeoma in the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka, was to take place in the first
quarter of 2018 .
The first son of the family , Onyedika
Onwubalili , confirmed the incident,
saying “ Yes, it is true ,” but gave no
further details.
Another family member, who did not
want to be named , said the incident
happened on Sunday .
He said , “ Simon Onwubalili and his
family left Jos on Saturday en route to
their hometown of Enugu Abor in
Ofuma , in the Orumba North Local
Government Area of Anambra State .
Their chauffeur- driven Toyota
Highlander somersaulted on the way .
The man had a thanksgiving service in
church penultimate Sunday and
shared the invitation cards of her
daughter ’s induction into the NMA .
“ They hired a driver to take them
home where Ijeoma, who recently
graduated as a medical doctor, was to
hold her traditional marriage on
December 31 , 2017 .
“ Unfortunately , they couldn ’t make it
as the journey was cut short
somewhere along Oturkpo - Enugu
Road . The driver was speeding and
suddenly found himself in the path of
an oncoming vehicle . In an attempt to
avoid the vehicle , the car somersaulted
several times and they died.”
When contacted, the spokesperson for
the Benue State Police Command ,
Moses Yamu , said he would get back to
our correspondent .
But he had yet to do so as of press
time.

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