Toddler killed as safety officers, driver clash in Edo

A tragic incident occurred on Wednesday evening at Ring Road, Benin, as a two-year-old girl was crushed to death by a commercial driver following a confrontation with officers of the Edo State Public Safety Response Team (PSR).  

According to an eyewitness, the clash escalated when PSR operatives attempted to seize the steering wheel of the moving vehicle, causing the driver to lose control.

The bus then veered off the road and crashed into a roadside PoS kiosk, where the young girl and her mother were standing, killing the child instantly.

Outraged by the incident, bystanders reportedly attacked the PSR operatives before taking them, along with the child’s lifeless body, to a nearby police station.

Human rights activist Kola Edokpayi, who witnessed the tragedy, condemned the actions of the PSR officers and urged the government to provide better training for its personnel to prevent such reckless enforcement methods.

He said, “What happened this (Wednesday) evening will be difficult for a father or mother to take. We know how difficult it is for a woman to carry a baby for nine months and put it to bed.

“We don’t gain anything from the government, no water, no road. We provide everything for ourselves, and that is why this woman came out to hustle, at least to have something to take home.

“The carelessness of some Public Safety Response officials caused the death of this little child. You saw a driver, driving against traffic, you should have collected his particulars and probably served him paper to appear in court.

“But you are using a 16th-century method to solve a 21st-century problem. He was dragging the steering wheel with the driver. I know this is not what the government sent them to do. When they were told to clear Ihama of those selling hard drugs, they did it and we commended them.”

He said the responsibility of the government is to protect the citizens and not what had happened and condemned the development in all its ramifications.

Reacting, one of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s aides, Bugie Okhuemoi, in a statement on Thursday, said the Edo State governor was saddened by the loss of the girl.

He said, “The PSR team was set up to help maintain public order, assist in protecting public infrastructure, and help in curbing illegal activities like street trading and illegal parking in our communities. But we recognise the growing concerns raised by residents regarding some of its procedures.

“The government will conduct a comprehensive review of the team’s structure and operations, particularly in the areas of personnel recruitment, the scope of its authority, and its engagement procedures with the public.

“This review is aimed at ensuring that all government-sanctioned activities reflect the highest standards of professionalism, fairness, and respect for human dignity.

“Governor Okpebholo and his administration will not tolerate any action by government agents that disrespects, dehumanises, or endangers the lives of the people of Edo State.”

He said governance must serve the people, not bring them harm, and that the government was taking decisive steps to ensure that this kind of tragedy never happened again.

“The governor appeals to all Edo residents to remain calm as the government works to address this issue with urgency and sincerity,” he said.