How doctor died in road crash two days after completing NYSC

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja

A medical doctor, Urenna Iroegbu, has died after a commercial vehicle which she was on drove against traffic, causing an accident along Onne Road, Port Harcourt.

The incident occurred barely two days after she completed her National Youth Service Corps programme.

Dr Iroegbu graduated from Imo State University last year after spending eight years studying medicine.

On Saturday, she boarded a Toyota Sienna commercial vehicle to Akwa Ibom State but never made it home.

The vehicle she was on was said to have driven against traffic shortly after a heavy rain around 4pm.

A lorry which had the right of way was said to have rammed into the vehicle where Iroegbu was on.

A police officer told The PUNCH, “There were two Sienna Toyota minivans headed towards Akwa Ibom around 4pm. Around Daewoo just long Onne Road, a trailer had broken down on their lane so they decided to drive against traffic.

“One of the Sienna minivans was the vehicle in which the doctor was in. A lorry which had the right of way did not see them on time, lost control and rammed into them. Good Samaritans took them to a hospital. Three of them were taken to Sonabel Hospital around the trailer park while Dr Iroegbu was transferred to Morning Star Hospital, Onne. She died at midnight.”

Confirming the incident, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Rivers State Command, Ayodele Kumapayi, told The PUNCH that the matter was reported to the Onne Divisional Police Headquarters.

The commander said, “The matter was not reported to the FRSC but the police at Onne confirmed it. They told my commander that on Saturday the lady, a corps member boarded a Sienna vehicle around 4pm.

“The driver drove against traffic. The unit commander was told that suddenly a trailer on its right of way rammed into them. It was a head on collision. The police told my unit commander that she (Iroegbu) was rushed to hospital in Port Harcourt where she eventually died.”

Meanwhile, friends have taken to social media to mourn the medical doctor.

A friend of the deceased, Martha Udoka, who posted photographs of the deceased on Facebook, expressed sadness over the incident.

Udoka wrote, “Urenna Samuel Iroegbu you’ve shattered our hearts. Just two days after your NYSC POP (Passing Out Parade) and you are no more, how? This wasn’t part of the plans we had. No! We had greater plans. Now you’ve left your family and us your friends.

“The squad will never be the same without you. I was in denial all night wishing the morning could change the news to something pleasant but no, you are really dead, you are gone. After all the struggles in school, internship and NYSC… after all the eight years of endurance, after the celebration on July 16, 2020…Ure, you left us. Why please?

“You were a fighter and I’m so sure you fought to stay alive. The vehicle you were in was shattered but you made it out in one piece and we were told you were responding to treatment, only for us to still hear last night, you were dead. How? Samuel Promise Urenna, now that we were supposed to enjoy life, you couldn’t stay for it.”

Nosiri Bobby, another friend of the deceased, changed his profile picture on Facebook in her honour.

“The worst shock in my life. I have lost a lot of people while growing up but this one made me mad…..UREN I will always miss you,” he wrote.

Another friend of the deceased, Ihuoma Zingo, said on Twitter that it was sad that the deceased didn’t get to live her dream.

“What a wicked world! A beautiful soul gone so soon. God please wake her up. Still can’t believe the news. Waiting to hear it’ s a joke. My heart is broken, loudly crying… Eight years of struggling to become somebody and just when you have finally achieved it after passing out from NYSC on Thursday, the devil struck.”