The incident, which caused panic among road users and residents, left six people injured, though no live was lost.
According to witnesses at the scene, about three vehicles reportedly fell into the river. However, authorities have dismissed this claim.
The Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Cyril Matthew Zango, confirmed the crash, stating that while several people sustained injuries, there were no fatalities or vehicles that plunged into the river.
He said that the injured victims were promptly taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
This accident comes just two weeks after a traditional priest of the Ikpoba River, Prince Udinyiwe Eweka, warned of potential repercussions linked to ongoing dredging operations being carried out by the State Government. Prince Eweka had cautioned that the river’s goddess must first be appeased before any major activity such as dredging could take place.
Speaking about the significance of ritual consultation, Prince Eweka stated:
“This Ikpoba River has been here for decades. I grew up to meet this Ikpoba River here. We know that our past government tried to dredge the river. We knew what happened. It didn’t go well because we didn’t follow the rules and the regulations of the river.
“Weneed to consult the gods on what they need before dredging the river. And some sacrifice needs to be done before we carry out anything like that. It is not that we just go to river and start dredging, sometimes it might not work because of the power of the river. After our past Governor, Lucky, did his own, others tried to do the same, but all of them failed. No one worked because they didn’t do any sacrifice. So they have to go out there to consult what Ikpoba N’ ogi Eze needs and give them their needs before we start dredging.
“When we do that, everything will just work out fine without any disturbance. Because you give what belongs to Caesar to Caesar, and give what belongs to God to God.”
The Edo State Government began the dredging of the Ikpoba River last week as part of efforts to combat persistent flooding and maximize the river’s economic potential. The state’s Commissioner for Mining, Hon. Andrew Ijegbai, had explained that the dredging project aims to provide a long-term solution to flooding in the area and tap into the river’s capacity to generate revenue.
The timing of the accident has further fueled speculation among locals, especially in light of the traditional concerns raised by Prince Eweka. However, officials have yet to link the incident directly to the ongoing dredging activities.
