In a surprisingly underreported incident that took place on Sunday, June 23, 2021 in Yabassi, Littoral Region, two deaths and several injuries were recorded on the Douala road.
The ghastly car accident which occured on the Douala-Yabassi road accident killed at least two students called Guy Rolland Arkally and Valdo Kenfack Fotso of the Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (ISH), another Campus of the University of Douala, located in Yabassi.
Many persons who witnessed the incident as well as events prior to it have blamed the accident on the recklessness and unprofessionalism of the driver.
Added to the fact that the vehicle was heavily overloaded with more than 10 passengers in a 5-seater car, and luggage, the driver was allegedly very drunk and all noisy prior to taking to the wheels.
“I saw the vehicle this morning loading in front of my bar. The driver was visibly drunk and unnecessarily loud and very rude to everyone,” revealed a witness.
The bus driver is also known to have lost his job as a driver for a Public Transport agency due to his foul language and gross unprofessionalism.
The death of the two students of the Douala University has plunged the University community in hysteria. The devasted students in Yabassi have all spoken strongly against the work ethic of private drivers in the city.
It is believed that rough driving and overloading seems to have been normalised amongst drivers in Yabassi.
“Enough is enough… The overloading of passengers has to stop… A vehicle of 5 seats carrying more than 15 passengers? Students come into this locality to raise the standard of the town and this is how they are treated like some luggage? No! No! Never again,” lamented a student of ISH Yabassi.
The two deceased students have been kept at the morgue awaiting burial, meanwhile several other passengers who were injured in accident are receiving treatment at the Douala Laquintinie Hospital.