Burial Turns Tragic: Over 10 Feared Dead as Bus Carrying Ewhrudjakpo Mourners Crashes in Bayelsa
By Passman Akpos
Several people are feared dead following a tragic road accident involving a 18-seater bus conveying passengers to the burial of Bayelsa State’s late Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
The fatal crash occurred on Friday along the Toru-Orua axis of the Sagbama–Ekeremor Road, a major route linking several communities in the area. The bus was reportedly transporting mourners to Ofoni, Sagbama Local Government Area, the hometown of the late deputy governor, for his final burial rites.
Initial reports from the scene indicate that more than 10 passengers lost their lives in the accident, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries. The injured victims were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.
Eyewitnesses said the impact of the crash caused panic and grief among residents and other road users, as emergency responders and good Samaritans worked to rescue survivors and recover victims from the wreckage.
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The deceased passengers were among hundreds of mourners travelling from different parts of Bayelsa State and beyond to pay their last respects to Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who died suddenly on December 11, 2025, at the age of 60, after collapsing in his office at the Government House in Yenagoa.
His burial is scheduled for today, January 30, 2026, in Ofoni, following a series of funeral activities, including a solemn Day of Tributes that drew prominent national and state figures such as former President Goodluck Jonathan, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, and former Governor Seriake Dickson.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the cause of the accident, while efforts were ongoing to identify the victims and notify their families. The tragedy has cast a dark shadow over what was meant to be a day of farewell and honour for the late deputy governor.
