A Nigerian family is demanding answers and accountability after 49-year-old Omotayo Samuel-Pepple was fatally struck by a bus in Winnipeg, amid concerns over delayed notification and scant details from authorities
Family members of 49-year-old Omotayo Samuel-Pepple, a Nigerian who was struck by a bus while waiting at a stop in Winnipeg on September 16, are calling for transparency and accountability.
Her sister Mary Oloyede expressed frustration over the lack of details about the incident. “I would want to know if the driver was impaired. What actually happened?” she asked, adding that the family received little information from authorities.
Oloyede asserted that her sister was conscious and communicating at the scene and noted that the family was only notified eight hours later: “She (Samuel-Pepple) was still conscious, she was still communicating at the scene.” The victim suffered internal injuries and multiple fractures, underwent three surgeries, then went into cardiac arrest and died.
Responding to criticism, the provincial health authority said next-of-kin notifications are not routinely made during emergency care, and “once staff were able to gather the necessary information, all efforts were made to make contact.” Winnipeg police said they aim to notify bereaved families “in person and without delay,” but that verification of identity, limited information, or geographic challenges may hinder prompt contact.