UNIBEN lecturer dies as driver crashes bus while fleeing police extortion

The University of Benin has lost a staff, a lecturer at the Faculty of Education after she was killed and another person injured by a commercial driver allegedly trying to avoid police extortion.

Dr. Stella Okotie died on Tuesday, July 21, as a result of the accident that happened in Benin City at about 6:30pm along the ever-busy Benin-Lagos expressway, close to the UNIBEN main gate.

Until her demise, the deceased was a lecturer at the UNIBEN faculty of Education.

There are unconfirmed reports that another person was killed in the accident. Another also sustained injuries.

Eyewitnesses claim the commercial bus driver was running away from the police officers who had earlier flagged his vehicle down, demanding N100 bribe.

One of the officers was said to have jumped into the moving bus and engaged in a physical struggle with the bus driver, dragging the steering wheel.

The late UNIBEN staff was reportedly standing at the walkway alongside her husband, Dr. Williams Okotie, also a staff of UNIBEN, and her son when the bus hit her and a stationery UNIBEN water supply van.

“The police officers were pursuing a commercial bus in quest for money leading to a physical struggle between one of the officers and driver of the vehicle,” an eyewitness told CAMPUS GIST.

“While the police was struggling the steering wheel with the driver, the bus ram into Dr. Okotie who was standing on the walkway just by the side of her vehicle killing her on the spot.”

Following the incident, the police officers fled the scene leaving behind one of their colleague who was beaten by an angry mob.

Consequently, residents and passersby barricaded the ever-busy New Lagos road right in front of the UNIBEN Ugbowo main gate, causing heavy traffic gridlock for hours.

The UNIBEN medical students are embarking on a solidarity protest on Wednesday, July 22, over the killing of Dr. Stella Okotie, the mother of their former colleague.

A statement issued by Comr. Goodluck Eghosa Osemwenkhae, Director of Information, Media and Publicity, on behalf of the union, said the protest would cover the police headquarters and the Edo state government house.