Not fewer than six persons have lost their lives in an auto crash involving a ‘911’ tipper with registration number of JJT-421XG and a fully loaded Dangote cement truck at Ibughubu market, Umuchu, Aguata local government area of Anambra state.
Blueprint learnt that the drivers of both vehicles, conductor of the truck, and two traders in the shops which the truck ran into died instantly ,while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, even as some traders and conductor of the tipper driver sustained injuries.
Similar accident which occurred in thesame market in 2015 claimed 22 lives.
An eyewitness, Mr Ikechukwu Ogbu, told Blueprint that the truck lost control and hit the tipper while trying to scale through some road barriers on the highway.
He said while the tipper ran unto two shops at this side of the market, the truck ran into three shops at the other side of the market, killing people and destroying properties.
He called on the government to quickly come and install speed breaker on the road as it was becoming a deathtrap.
On his part, chairman of Ubughubu village, Mr Titus Ike, said vehicles broke through three shops, one belonging to Okwudili Egbobuike, and two owned by Nonso Ezekwelu.
“Nonso’s own was fatal because it broke into three shops, with the owner and his mother becoming victims. There are other people I don’t have their details because I have not been to the hospital. Our village man, Aaron Ononuju, who is about 65-years-old had been taken to mortuary.
“We are currently embarking on peaceful demonstration to the palace of our traditional ruler and other leaders of the community. We are going to install speed breaker on this road tomorrow because we are tired of accident. This place is valley especially the market. We don’t want it to kill people again. Two years ago, we lost nine people. We lost two students two months ago. We just lost three people. Other persons sustained serious injury,” he lamented.
Blueprint learnt that corpses of the dead excluding that of conductor of the cement truck which was not found had been deposited in a nearby morgue, while the injured were receiving medical attention at an unnamed hospital.
All attempt to reach the police proved abortive as the State command’s Public Relations Officer(PRO), Haruna Muhammed, did not to reply whatsApp message sent to his contact, while the phone number of the PRO, Federal Road Safety Corp, Ufiem was not reachable as at press time
