By Ijoo Bosco
An 8-year-old boy died in an accident on Tuesday along the Magwi-Obbo road in Amika Boma of Magwi Payam, Eastern Equatoria State.
Speaking to this publication, Ongee Jackson Milla Lazarus, Magwi traffic police officer in charge, confirmed that the incident occurred in Amika when a motorcyclist named Rigik, who was riding toward Obbo, struck the child.
Officer Ongee recounted that upon reaching the scene of the incident, they found the boy in critical condition. They rushed him to Magwi County Hospital for treatment, where he later passed away that evening.
“Upon receiving information about the accident, we immediately rushed to the scene and found the young boy in critical condition, with injuries and bruises all over his body, alongside the boda boda rider. We transported them to Magwi County Hospital and left them in the care of medical staff,” said Ongee.
Mr. Ongee attributed the cause of the accident to speeding in a residential area where children are present.
He described the situation regarding road accidents in Magwi as alarming, noting that three fatalities related to road accidents have been recorded in the past two months.
“The occurrence of accidents in Magwi Central Division is becoming increasingly common. So far, we have lost three people in a row due to reckless driving and speeding by motorcycle riders. Despite the orders and guidelines we provide to road users, they often fail to heed our instructions. This situation is indeed alarming, but we are seeking better solutions to improve safety on the roads,” added Ongee.
He urged road users to pay attention to the traffic police’s safety warnings and to exercise caution while using the roads.