A flour-loaded truck that was allegedly being pursued by some soldiers has killed three persons including a lawyer in Utu Etim Ekpo, the headquarters of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
Gideon Uwa, the Chairman of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, stated this in a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, suggesting that the accident may have occurred in the early hours of Tuesday.
“Up till about 2 a.m. today, Tuesday, 12 November 2024, I was at the scene of a fatal crash involving a trailer and motorists at Etim Ekpo Roundabout, which resulted in the unfortunate loss of three lives,” the chairman wrote, adding that the survivors had been taken to the hospital for treatment.
“As I continue to monitor the situation and provide regular updates, let me seize this opportunity to reiterate that my administration will undertake a comprehensive review and remodelling of the roundabout to curb incessant ghastly accidents in concert with the Akwa Ibom State Government.
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“I condole with the families of the deceased and urge motorists to prioritise safety by adhering to speed limits and maintaining control of their vehicles to avoid preventable tragedies, especially as we approach the yuletide,” he said.
Eyewitnesses say the tragedy occurred around 8 p.m. on Monday when a military patrol team began pursuing the truck after its driver failed to stop at a checkpoint near Nkwot Ikot Ebo on the Iwukem-Etim Ekpo-Abak Road.
“The truck, loaded with flour, was coming from the Iwukem direction toward Abak and was flagged down at the soldiers’ checkpoint at Nkwot Ikot Ebo. The driver refused to stop.
”The soldiers overtook the truck, but the driver still wouldn’t stop, speeding towards them. The soldiers scrambled for safety as the truck sped down a slope toward the roundabout. It was impossible to navigate safely at that speed.
”The driver lost control, veering off the road and crashing into a row of makeshift shops by the motor park, killing the unsuspecting victims instantly, including the lawyer, whose name has yet to be released,” Eno Umanah, an eyewitness narrated.
A female survivor, whose legs were mangled in the crash, was initially turned away by nearby Divine Love Hospital in Utu Ikot Imonte and later by the Utu Etim Ekpo Government Hospital. She was eventually rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).
Another resident, Eno Umanah who is a motorcyclist around the council secretariat recalled, “The driver then lost control and veered off the road into several makeshift shops by the motor park, and crashed, killing the unsuspecting victims suddenly.”
For Akaninyene Umanah, a resident of the area the road had claimed over 70 lives, including about 40 church worshippers who were returning from a church convention, aside from commercial busses and motorcyclists.
An anonymous witness said the roundabout needed to be removed from that place or a properly one constructed as replacement to save people’s lives, saying, “If you are coming from the Stadium to that roundabout, it’s very risky, due to the sloppy nature of that portion of the road. I hope this is taken seriously.”
The Public Relations Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state, John James promised to reach back to our correspondent with update as soon as he reached the office.
