Police in Ondo on Monday confirmed the death of a woman and her child in Ute, a community in Ose Local Government Area of the state.
It was learnt that the two victims, whose identities had yet to be disclosed, were crushed by a grader belonging to the local government.
The grader, which was working on a road project in the town, was said to have suffered brake failure, resulting the fatal incident in which the mother and her child were killed.
State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the incident, disclosing that an investigation had already begun.
“It is true that the incident happened but we have commenced investigation,” he said.
Chairman of Ose Local Government, Mr. Clement Ojo, also confirmed the incident in a statement.
Ojo said the council had launched a probe into the mechanical faults that led to the tragic incident and would take measures to prevent such incidents in future.
His statement read, “The tragic accident, which occurred as a result of brake failure in a grader owned by the local government and deployed for road rehabilitation under our rural development programme, has brought great pain to all of us. What was intended as a noble effort to improve access and infrastructure within the community has now become a moment of intense grief.
“This is a loss that touches us all, not just as a government, but as members of one human family. A hardworking mother and her innocent child set out to the farm like on any other day, only to have their lives cut short in the most heartbreaking way. No words can adequately express the sadness and regret we feel as a government and as a people.
“As soon as the incident was reported, officials from Ose Local Government promptly visited the scene to offer condolences to the grieving family, stand in solidarity with the Ute community, and assess the situation directly. This visit was not merely symbolic; it was a sincere act of compassion and responsibility.”
