There was confusion on Ajibulu Street in the Mafoluku, Oshodi area of Lagos State, after a truck driver crushed a bread hawker and her baby.
It was learnt that while the hawker, Tawa Nurudeen, survived the crash, her six-month-old daughter, Nimota, died.
The child was reportedly confirmed dead by a doctor at Jericho Hospital, a private medical facility in the area.
Our correspondent was told that Tawa was taken to Edmark Medical Centre, another private facility, but was referred to a general hospital, where she was rejected due to lack of a bed space.
She was later admitted in another hospital in the Oshodi area.
A witness, who did not want to be identified, said Tawa strapped her baby to her back while hawking loaves of bread.
He said, “The incident happened around 12.30pm on Sunday. She was at the junction when the truck driver wanted to turn. The driver hit the woman and the tray she used to hawk fell off her head, including loaves of bread, into a gutter. Her baby also fell from her back to the road.
“The truck, which had three occupants – two men and a woman – climbed on the woman’s leg and the baby. When the driver heard the screams of horrified residents, he reversed and climbed the woman’s leg again.”
It was learnt that while the driver and the woman fled, the third occupant of the vehicle was seized by some hoodlums who assaulted him.
Some others were said to have vandalised the Volvo truck, with number plate, AAA 315 XU, as some residents alerted policemen from the Makinde division.
Another witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said sympathisers rushed the two victims to a hospital.
“A lot of time was wasted before they were taken to a hospital. Eventually, a trader at the junction picked up the baby and was lamenting that the child was dead. The mother cried for help,” he added.
A barber, Tayo Wahab, who apprehended the third occupant of the vehicle, claimed that some hoodlums, who were friends of the suspect, attacked him.
While showing our correspondent injuries he sustained, Wahab said the men struck while he was at the hospital.
“They were three with broken bottles and stones. They attacked me for apprehending the man. I was alone at the time,” he added.
Wahab said he was worried that the hawker and her baby might not get justice.
A medical official of Jericho Hospital, who did not identify herself, confirmed that Nimota was brought to the hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
Also, a nurse at Edmark Medical Centre said Nimota’s mother, Tawa, was brought by sympathisers.
“She was admitted here before she was referred to a general hospital. We cannot tell you her medical condition because it is confidential,” she said.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the truck had been towed into the Makinde Police Division.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said, “It was a fatal motor accident which happened around 1pm on Sunday. A tipper, driven by one Rasaq Ibrahim, allegedly knocked down a woman and her baby. The victims were rushed to a hospital where the baby was confirmed dead. The corpse has been deposited in a morgue for autopsy.”
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