Bayelsa Police Investigate Tricycle Rider's Death, FRSC Denies Fault

The Bayelsa State Police Command has started looking into the death of a tricycle rider. This happened during a road accident linked to a traffic enforcement operation by the Federal Road Safety Corps at Okaka Junction in Yenagoa.

The accident took place on Monday morning along the Okaka Expressway near Okaka Primary School. The tricycle rider died after his vehicle hit a Dangote truck.

Eyewitnesses said the crash happened during an enforcement operation near an FRSC checkpoint. Some residents claimed that the actions of the officials led to the accident. Others said the officers left the scene quickly, which caused protests from angry youths and local residents.

The incident sparked anger in the community. Protesters called the deceased a hardworking father who was just trying to provide for his family. They demanded a complete and fair investigation into the crash and insisted that anyone responsible should face consequences.

On Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Bayelsa State Command, DSP Musa Muhammad, confirmed the investigation in a WhatsApp message to PUNCH Online. He said the command had started a preliminary investigation.

“The command has commenced preliminary investigation into the cause of the incident. Meanwhile, law and order has been restored,” Muhammad said.

In response to the claims against the FRSC, the Bayelsa Sector Commander, Corps Commander Sylvanus Oke-Ordu, denied that their officers caused the accident.

“FRSC officers left the scene not to evade responsibility but to pursue the truck driver, who allegedly attempted to flee after the collision,” Oke-Ordu said.

He also mentioned that the truck driver was caught later and is now in police custody.