Ocholi: Road Traffic Investigation Report Indicts Driver

Late Barr JAMES OCHOLI (Minister of State, Labour & Employment)

• SGF: FG awaiting full report to determine driver’s culpability

A preliminary road traffic investigation report into the recent crash that killed the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr James Ocholi (SAN), his wife and son, has blamed the driver, Mr. Taiwo James Elegbede, for over-speeding, even as the federal government has announced March 18 for the burial of the late minister.

The report conducted by the Federal Roads Safety Commssion (FRSC) investigation team was read by the corps marshal, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, during a valedictory session at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in honour of the late Ocholi in Abuja yesterday.

Oyeyemi, who gave details of the investigations, said the driver who had driven at high speed lost control when the rear tyre of the vehicle they were travelling in burst on the Kaduna-Abuja expressway, about 180 kilometres from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He explained that other than the driver’s high speed, there was a likelihood that the minister and his family did not use their seat belts, noting that non-usage of seat belts by the deceased minister and his family increased the fatality rate resulting from the crash.
The team hinged its report on the surviving front seat passengers who had their seat belts on.

According to Oyeyemi, further checks had shown that the driver and Elegbede’s details were not registered on the FRSC database as licensed drivers.

He said the Dunlop tyres on the sports utility vehicle (SUV) which had not expired, were wrongly attached to the rim inwardly instead of outwardly, while the vehicle was without a communication link with the minister’s pilot vehicle occupants who tried desperately to communicate with the minister’s driver through his phone to reduce his speed.

The report had in its concluding paragraph called for adherence to traffic rules, repairs of bad spots on highways and also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the campaign on road safety.

The president and six ministers paid glowing tributes to Ocholi at the valedictory session.
All spoke about their relationship with him, his sacrificial, intellectual and humane qualities that would be missed by members of the council.

Also, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, at the session before the full commencement of FEC meeting, announced the president’s approval of full scholarships for two of the four children left behind by the minister who are still studying and automatic employment for the other two who have graduated from the university, explaining that the decision to take over the education and wellbeing of the children stemmed from the fact that they had lost both parents who were the breadwinners of the family.

The SGF asked the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to work out modalities for the scholarship.
On Tuesday, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had revealed the government’s plan for the surviving children during a condolence visit to the Ocholi family at their residence in Kado Estate, Abuja.
“The employment letter is in process and you can resume work after now,” he told the children, according to a statement released by his office.

“Your father was a very hardworking and conscientious member of the Federal Executive Council who was very passionate and worked hard for the realisation of the change agenda of this government.
“Indeed, it is a sad moment for all of us and the vacuum which his death has created is not only for the family, but the leadership as well,” he said.

Lawal added that a committee set up by the government met with the late minister’s family and picked March 16, 17 and 18 for the funeral rites.

Lawal said a service of songs would hold on March 17 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, by 7 pm, adding that the federal government would assume all funeral expenses for the deceased.
He also said the body of Ocholi, his wife, Blessing, and son, Joshua, would depart the National Hospital, Abuja, on March 17 for his home town, Dekina in Kogi State.

He said a wake slated for the same day in Dekina would kick off from 6 pm to the next day.
Lawal said the internment would take place on March 18 by noon in Dekina.

Also, at the end of the council meeting, Lawal informed State House correspondents that the government was waiting for the FRSC’s full investigative report into the crash before deciding whether the driver of the vehicle violated any law.
He however pointed out that “no matter how careful one may be, accidents are likely to occur”.

Lawal said that the country has adequate traffic laws and government would only establish the culpability of the driver after receiving the full investigative report from FRSC.

He said he was not aware of any allegation by the Ocholi family that they suspected foul play in the accident.