Police ignore woman trapped under trailer

Police ignore woman trapped under trailer

A middle-aged woman, Ifeoma Oraka, who was hit by a trailer and got trapped under the vehicle on Friday morning at Second Rainbow Bus Stop, on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, was allegedly ignored by policemen at the scene.

The incident, our correspondent learnt, happened in the front of a police station and in the presence of some policemen.

An eyewitness told Saturday PUNCH that the incident happened around 10 am as the woman stood at the bus stop waiting to board a bus.

The eyewitness, who identified himself simply as Chibuzor, said, "I was on my way to work when I got to the bus stop and saw a lot of people gathered. I learnt that the trailer had a failed break and hit a bus the woman was about to board.

"Many people stood there looking at her under the trailer apparently thinking she was dead because the trailer had crushed her legs. Policemen stood all around too controlling the traffic, which I did not think was the most important think at the time.

"I talked to a taxi driver who agreed to take the woman to the hospital. To ensure that she got prompt attention at the hospital, I approached the policemen to at least follow us to the hospital but they shouted at me to get away."

Chibuzor said even though the woman had to be dragged from under the trailer half-dead, the policemen showed no sympathy.

He said they were only concerned about impounding the two buses that were also involved in the accident.

Our correspondent learnt that the woman was rushed to Gbagada General Hospital, where she was given first aid treatment and later referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital for intensive treatment.

But the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ngozi Braide, has maintained that the victim could not have been ignored by policemen.

"I was not there but I can tell you that the report that policemen were around but did nothing to help the woman is a lie. Police can never do that," she said.