No fewer than three persons were killed and three tricycles crushed beyond repairs in a road crash at the Onitsha end of the River Niger Bridge in Anambra State on Tuesday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the accident occurred as a lorry conveying vegetable oil to Asaba collided with three tricycles and spilt its contents on the road.
The accident caused a gridlock that extended from the Asaba end of the Head Bridge to Oko Market and the Onitsha end of the bridge close to Upper Iweka.
The vehicle was said to be coming from the Harbour Industrial Layout area of Onitsha, and driving through the Julius Berger Construction Yard to connect the Niger Bridge towards Asaba when the driver was allegedly accosted by some revenue agents who jumped into the vehicle.
“As the touts were struggling with the driver for the steering of the vehicle in an attempt to collect tolls from him, the driver lost control and crashed into the tricycles plying the area and crushing instantly the drivers and some passengers,” an eyewitness who did not want his name in print said.
An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Onitsha Unit Office, who did not want his name in print because he is not the corps’ spokesperson, confirmed that the accident happened at about 7.30am, adding that two persons were killed while two others were injured.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 10 passengers were on Tuesday rescued during a crash involving a commercial bus at Adeniji Adele Junction, in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State.
The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Taofiq Adebayo, in a statement, said preliminary investigation revealed that the bus driver lost control of the vehicle due to speeding, adding that the rescued victims were rushed to the Marina General Hospital for prompt treatment.
Adebayo said, “LASTMA operatives today (Tuesday) rescued 10 severely injured accident victims at Adeniji Adele Junction, inward Obalende by Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos.
“Adejuwon Olalekan, who led the rescue operations, confirmed that it was a lone accident involving a commercial Mazda bus with number plate IKJ 969 YA.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the Mazda commercial bus lost control as a result of excessive speeding and somersaulted, leaving 10 passengers with severe injuries. Those 10 rescued accident victims were immediately rushed to the Marina General Hospital by LASTMA personnel for urgent medical treatment.”
SOURCE: PUNCH
