Tragedy as Tonye Cole’s convoy kills two women in Rivers

It was another day of tragedy in Abua, Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday, as the convoy of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Tonye Cole hit and killed two women, injuring another.

The accident, which occurred in the afternoon took place in Egbolom area of Abua Central-Ogonokom Road in Abua, while Cole and his entourage were heading to Otapha on a ward-to-ward sensitisation tour.

According to reports, the security details of the APC candidate, in an attempt to avoid hitting a motorcyclist on the road, swerved their vehicles to the edge of the road, crushing the women on the walkway to death in the process.

An eyewitness said: “The deceased women have been taken to the morgue. Right now, we have not been able to ascertain the identities of the women. But they are from Egbolom.”

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said that Cole and the Divisional Police Officer of the area were currently in touch with the families of the deceased persons and the injured person.

Omoni said: “We are aware that the convoy of the APC candidate was today involved in an accident. Three women were hit in the accident and two of them died while one was injured.

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“I understand that the governorship candidate and the DPO of the area have reached out to the families of the deceased and injured persons.”

Also speaking about the accident, the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, said the convoy was heading to Ward 8 in Abua/Odual when the incident occurred.

According to him, the political activities of the day were cancelled following the accident.

“When the accident occurred, the candidate was in about the eighth vehicle in the convoy. A pick-up van was involved in the accident and we all went out to give first aid to the women that were affected.

“The candidate, who was in one of the vehicles that had moved about half a kilometre ahead, ordered the vehicles to make a U-turn. The candidate joined others to visit the hospital, where the two women were confirmed dead.

“We then went to report the matter to the divisional police in the area while the activities of the day were cancelled as a result of the death of the two women. It was an accident that could happen to anybody.

“The candidate and the party have restated that they would stand by the family of those deceased and injured,” Finebone said.

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