Car crushes four-year-old boy to death inside parents’ compound

The life of a four-year-old boy, Segun Egunbambi, has been cut short after he was knocked down by a car inside his parents’ compound on Aduragbemi Street, Alagbado area of Lagos State.

City Round learnt that the Toyota Camry car, with the number plate, KTU 242 FC, was driven by one Adenowo Adeyiga.

Adeyiga was said to be returning home from Ijegun – on the outskirts of Lagos – when his car had a brake failure and lost control.

The vehicle reportedly veered into Egunbambis’ compound located along the street and knocked down the boy, who was playing on the premises.


It was gathered that Egunbambi sustained leg injuries and was rushed to a private hospital in the neighbourhood for treatment. He died from the injuries some hours later.

The incident was reported at the Alagbado Police Station and Adeyiga was arrested.

The police accused Adeyiga of reckless driving, adding that he did not have a driving licence.

The suspect stated that he had applied the brakes as he wanted to make a turn at a junction around the scene of the incident but to his surprise, the brakes did not respond.

The 49-year-old man stated that he rammed into the compound in the ensuing confusion.

He said, “On May 4, 2019, around 12noon, I was returning home from Ijegun in my car. I wanted to turn at a junction, two streets to my house when I discovered that my car brakes had failed. Immediately the accident happened, I rushed the boy to Holyfield Hospital at Ile Epo (a neighbouring community).

“He was referred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi and I went to the police station to make a report.”

He, however, refuted the allegation that he drove the car without a driving licence.

Adeyiga was consequently brought before an Ikeja magistrates’ court sitting in Ogba by a police prosecutor, ASP Benson Emuerhi, on three counts bordering on reckless driving and manslaughter.

The charges read in part, “That you, Adenowo Adeyiga, on May 4, 2019, at around 12pm, along Aduragbemi Street, Casso Alagbado, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, being the driver in charge of a Toyota Camry, with the number plate, KTU 242 FC, drove same on the public road in a dangerous and reckless manner and caused the death of one Segun Egunbambi, aged four, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 20(1), Cap 172, Vol 45, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.

“That you, Adenowo Adeyiga, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, being the driver of the above mentioned vehicle, drove same on public road without a driving licence, which is against traffic rules and regulation, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 7(1) and punishable under Section 45, Cap 172, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.”

The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him by the court registrar.

He was granted bail by the presiding magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in the like sum.

The case was adjourned till June 20, 2019.