How Lawyer Lost Mum, Wife, Six Others In Road Accident (Photo)

Details of how a lawyer lost about eight members of his family in a road accident that occurred last Friday in Okoghue, Ahoada Local Government Area of Rivers State emerged yesterday.

They were heading for Babcock University, Ilishan, Remo, Ogun State for the graduation of their daughter, Miss Margaret Okwuikpo.

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Incidentally, the community where the accident happened was where about 200 people died  in a fuel tanker explosion last year. Last weekend’s  tragedy occurred in the morning, not specifically involving any other vehicle. Daily Sun gathered  that the lawyer,  Mr. Prince Abali, who is attached to the state Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), though had one of his legs amputated, was the only survivor.

Mr. Abali, who is in critical condition at the Orthopaedic Section of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Choba, Port Harcourt, as at the time of filing this report, is not aware of the death of other co-travellers and had not been allowed to receive calls. The victims were travelling in a chartered Hummer bus to witness the graduation of Miss Okwuikpo.

Meanwhile, the state branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), is urging members to pray for their colleague. At the state’s Judiciary Complex, Port Harcourt, the news of the tragedy came as a surprise and unbelievable to the lawyers.

Recall that a devastated Miss Okwuikpo on Monday left the university for Port Harcourt in tears.

Her parents and six other family members died in the  accident. Okwuikpo, a science graduate, was in inconsolable grief throughout the ceremonies which took place on Sunday in spite of efforts by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Kayode Makinde and others to comfort her.

Her close friend, (names withheld) told our reporter that Okwuikpo is  devastated by the tragedy, as she kept wondering why such incident should befall her, two days to her graduation.

A source said the school provided a bus that took her to the Garden City, where she is expected to meet other relatives for preparations for the victims  burial.