A multi-vehicle accident near the coastal town of Badagry, 70 kilometres from Lagos, Nigeria turned fatal, claiming the life of a Youth With A Mission (YWAM) staff while several others were rushed to nearby hospitals with various injuries.
In a statement posted online, YWAM said a bus with 15 team members returning from a regional gathering in Benin was involved in a multi-vehicle accident near Badagry on November 2, 2024. The mission organization reported that Jean Serge Mienahou, working with YWAM Congo Brazzaville had lost his life in the accident adding that the family and friends had been notified.
Two other YWAM staff with serious injuries had been admitted to hospital. Doctors assessed Tchando Matthieu from Benin and found that he was bleeding in the brain, "which is very serious." He was put into a medically induced coma which doctors had planned to bring him out of it.
"It is a matter of life and death that he wakes up, so please pray urgently," posted YWAM on its website.
Evariste Gbejihounde, also from Benin, was being treated for internal bleeding in the abdominal cavity and for two broken ribs. The team asked for prayers hoping that a scheduled CAT scan would reveal the source of the internal bleeding. At the same time, Togo's Tomsuwa Cosme had what initially appeared like serious injuries, but he was treated and his condition downgraded to stable.
"Some of the remaining passengers required minor treatment and ongoing medical diagnosis, but we are grateful that all others involved are safe and on their way home," reassured YWAM.
In February 2024, a road accident in Tanzania claimed the lives of 8 missionaries attached to YWAM. Several others were hospitalized, treated and discharged. Christian Daily had earlier reported that Sub-Saharan Africa's fatality rate from road crashes stands at 27 per 100,000 inhabitants, three times higher than Europe's average and well above the global average of 18, according to the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, highlighted Africa's disproportionate vulnerability to road accidents. He emphasized that road accidents are the leading cause of youth mortality in Africa, underscoring the urgent need for action.
A recent report by the Africa Development Group (AFdB), titled "Mortality in Africa: The Share of Road Traffic Fatalities," revealed that road traffic accidents constitute 25% of all injury-related deaths in Africa. Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco experience particularly high rates of fatalities.
The AFdB report outlined strategies to reduce road fatalities, including improved road infrastructure and enforcement of road safety measures. However, enforcement remains weak across the continent.
