Controversy trails death of final year LASU student killed by DHL truck

Family says DHL is denying ownership of truck

Family discovers deceased has a love child

DHL insists they are in touch with family

His dream of becoming a top military officer and serve his country was what made Stanislus Ipogah leave Kaduna after trying to join the military without success for three years to gain admission into the Lagos State University, LASU with the intention of going back to try again after graduation.

The 29 year old opted to study Computer Science, a profession he has a lot of passion in. When it became clear that his efforts were not in vein as he had progressed to his final year and was preparing to write his final examination, an ill-fated truck carrying DHL Global Forwarding symbol with registration number KJA 998XA driven by Mr Adegboyejo Festus knocked him down killing him and his dreams.

His family are mourning but what is piercing their hearts right now is the fact the company has refused to send a condolence letter and has even denied ownership of the truck which was allegedly plying one way at the time of the incident. They have also only found after his death that he has a 6 months old child with his lover.

His brother and guardian Mr John Ipogha who spoke with the Nation expressed grief over the way the company is taking the issue and how they will take care of the little boy (Emmanuel).

According to Mr Ipogah, a management consultant, on January 28, he got a call by 3pm from his late brother's friends, Theodore that he had an accident and he cannot talk. "He said somebody just used Stani's phone to call him that the owner had an accident. He said he tried the number several times but it didn't connect so he called them later and they explained that it was a hospital and the boy had an accident.  

"On my way I started receiving calls from his friend, Pius who told me to come hurriedly. When I got there I saw the police from the Ojo Police Station carrying his corpse away. I met the corpse in their ambulance. They told me that they wanted to take the body to Badagry hospital, I pleaded that they take him to a nearby hospital but they said since it is an accident case they must take the body to Badagry. At the end of the day, we took him to a military hospital where we deposited the corpse. 

"We deposited the corpse by late night in the military hospital, Ojo. The next day I went to the police station to go and make my statement then I saw some people who said they are from DHL. They gave their names as Deji Ebo and Harold Maurice but they didn't have anything on them to show that they are from DHL. No ID or Business card. I sat down and told them to talk. 

They apologised and told him the company will see what it can do about the issue. They also told him they will assist and see how they can help in the burial cost and other things. "I told them the burial cost is not the issue, that we have to meet with the company and discuss and that the company must also send condolence letter. They express their desire to give me N350, 000 for the burial before we discuss compensation," he added. 

He added that after five days of the incident and not hearing from DHL, they suddenly called to deny ownership of the vehicle. 

Asked how his aged parents who are based in Iviegbupui area in Etsako East, Edo State are taking Stani's death, John said his aged father and mother have begun to mourn the traditional way. 

"My father is about 80 years-old and he has 10 children. Stanislus is his eight child so you can imagine the pain they are going through right now. My mother cannot go out until he is buried traditionally so we have to take his corpse home as soon as possible." 

Expressing dissatisfaction with the day the police report was written; Mr Ipogah said the police report didn't state that the truck belongs to DHL or that the vehicle was plying one way. 

 "It was when I came to the place of the incident, I discovered it was a DHL vehicle truck that was plying one way and the boy was killed right at the edge of the road where he was standing waiting to cross the road at Lasu Isheri road, Iba Bus-stop, Lagos. 

Saying he is very sad about the death he said Stanislus was with him very recently and they discussed his plans for the future. He described his brother as an amiable, intelligent, respectful, very hardworking and useful young man. He called on the Government to call the company to order. 

A visit to the scene of the accident 

When the nation visited the scene of the accident, people were still talking about it. Asked what happened there on Wednesday, an eyewitness who gave his name as Femi said after the truck hit him, they ran after the truck because he was trying to escape leaving him on the road where he fell. 

"He was then taken to a nearby clinic where the doctor told the driver to go and get a vehicle to convey him to a teaching hospital because the hospital had no equipment to attend to his case but instead of getting the vehicle or ambulance, the driver called his office and they instructed him to go and report himself to the police station where he was detained. Police came after about an hour when the guy had died. They said someone called that he had killed someone and they had come to take the body away," he said.

Another eye witness, Ebuka Daniiel who owns a shop opposite the scene of the incident and assisted in taking him to the hospital said he wouldn't have died if the driver responded on time. "When the Doctor told us that we needed to bring a vehicle to convey him to a teaching hospital, I followed the driver outside but every time we stopped a vehicle he said it was too expensive for him and moved on to ask another driver. He continued that until he ran away to report himself in a police station where he was detained. My phone got missing in the process."

The doctor

He doctor of Richville Hospital, 5, Olokun Close, Iba bus-stop, who first attended to him, Dr Anthony Nwankwo confirmed what eye witnesses said. He said he was rushed to the hospital some people. "He was deeply unconscious when he was brought in and bleeding from the head, mouth, and nose. I told them he had a head injury and fracture base on his skull as I could feel the softness. I requested he was taken to a teaching or general hospital but they didn't come back until he died," he said.

"While they went to bring a vehicle they proceeded to resuscitate him. "We were doing that expecting them to bring a vehicle but unfortunately over 1 hour and 30 minutes after we started the resuscitation, they had not come back. It was after he died that we found out the driver instead of getting a vehicle went to the police station. 

Asked if there was a chance of survival, the doctor said there was but it depends on prompt expert medical attention.

His secret child 

His family discovered after his death that he had impregnated a lady he was dating and she had delivered a baby boy who was now six months- old. "Suddenly we discovered that he has a child. We were not aware that he has a 6 months old child. He only told some of his close friends. His friends said he was very excited when the child was born," his brother told The Nation.

His lover's response

She gave her name as Blessing Thomas from Ogoja in Cross-Rivers State. She told The Nation that she had dropped out of school after writing her Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and started to live with her uncle in the same building as Stanislus in Lagos. 

They met there and fell in love. Blessing who isn't sure of her age said she was born 21 years ago and hopes to go back to school saying that was one of the promises Stanislus made to her while they were dating.

"He also promised to marry me and take care of our child when I told him I was pregnant. I also heard that he had told my cousin that he would give her some money for me the day before he died."

Blessing who has been living in Ogoja since she got pregnant and put to bed only came back after she was told of the death of her son's father. Speaking through her sister, Mrs Mercy Eroh, she also noted that traditionally, it is mandatory for her to come and see where he is buried so that if her son asks for his father in future, he will be taken to where he was buried.

When The Nation spoke with some people in the community they said she doesn't know what is happening. They added that she has a marine spirit which makes her incoherent. "She behaves like someone with a mental problem," one resident said.

His friends

His friends, Jeffery Odiase, a graduate if the University of Benin, UNIBEN and Bankola Olalekan of LASPOTECH who took The Nation everywhere visited also gave their explanation of what happened. They said there was a diversion made by CCECC, a construction company because of a road construction going on. 

"They didn't put anything on the road to show that they diverted vehicles. Stanislus was standing at the edge of the road waiting to cross the other side after successfully crossing the first lane. He didn't see the driver coming at first and when he saw him he couldn't move because he was confused. 

The driver tried to swerve hitting him with the passenger side of the truck. He fell and hit his head on an iron used to keep flowers intact." 

The Truck

When The Nation got to the scene of the accident, the truck had been packed on the entrance of the street that Stanislus lives. Okechukwu Moses, a student of University of Abuja who spoke on behalf of the youths in the community said the vehicle has been there since. 

"We have sworn not to allow anybody take the vehicle from here including the police because it is an evidence. We take turns to guide the truck here at night. Even if they bring Almond tanks here we will not allow them move the truck. 

"He is like a brother to all of us. We are his friends and we are angry. We will not allow them take the truck. We will keep watch on the truck and if they don't come for it in a week time, or continue to deny ownership of the vehicle; we will sell it or burn it."

They also said they are preparing to hold a candle night for him. 

DHL response

When The Nation called Mr Maurice Harold of DHL, he said: "Sorry madam, I am not in the position to disclose that to you but I think the company is in discussion with the family of the deceased because I no longer handle the case. I was just walking by when they sent me that assignment and I reported back to the office."

Asked about the threat on the Lawyer from someone from DHL, he said, "I don't know about that, I don't know about that."  

Asked if he knows about the incident her said: "I am a DHL staff, I know about the incident. I was part of it from the beginning but right now I don't know."

DHL response to the family's Lawyer

Mr Ipogah's lawyer, owner of Lawshield Solicitors, who wrote to DHL said he got a call from someone on telephone number 014625200. "The person didn't give his name but said he was calling from DHL. He denied that DHL owns the vehicle and threatened the lawyer," he said. 

First published in The Nation of February 8, 2015