By Cajetan Mmuta, Awka
It was a bloody Friday in Awka, the Anambra State capital as over 12 persons were feared dead when a truck loaded with cattle failed brake along Awka-Onitsha expressway.
But the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in a statement by its Public Education Officer, SRC Florence Edor, said that only two persons were killed.
The ugly incident occurred at about 4:15pm at Ose to Kwata junction in the capital town.
The long truck ladened with cattle was racing from Enugu state to the commercial town of Onitsha when it lost control due to brake failure and crashed at Kwata Flyover, killing many people in the process.
However, angry Sympathizers had set the trailer ablaze which led to the roasting of many cattle alive which it had before the accident happened.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the truck lost its break as the driver descended the the hilly Aroma and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Temporary Site junctions along the Enugu Onitsha Expressway.
According to them, the truck on top speed raced past the ever busy UNIZIK Junction and crashed on many vehicles waiting for the traffic light green lights to signal them to move.
Although there were conflicting accounts on how the trailer went up in flames.
Sources at the scene of the crash said that the trailer sparked fire instantly, roasting many of the cattle it carried.
But another source disclosed that the truck was set on fire by angry Sympathizers who watched the gory site of victims trapped by the truck.
Among those who died at the scene were young boys and girls who hawk good close to the traffic light spot.
The exact number of the deceased could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report
Also, the actual number of vehicles involved could not be ascertained because of the multiple effects and long stretch of vehicles waiting when the incident took place.
Sadly, security agents had arrived and scared sympathizers and onlookers away with gunshots; firing live bullets in different directions causing pandemonium in the process.
The security agents which include the military and the police had opened gunfire in an attempt to dispersed the surging crowd of onlookers and sympathizers who thronged the scene.
Vehicles using a section of the road were seen racing at high speed to avoid being hit by bullets even as pedestrians ran helter-skelter, and scampered for safety.
Policemen at the scene said about ten vehicles were affected.
Meanwhile, the FRSC said, two male adults lost their lives in a multiple fatal crash at about 1428hrs this afternoon near Kwata Bridge opposite the Ministry of Agriculture, Anambra State.
‘The accident involves a red Man Diesel truck with registration number JJN 59 YZ, a green Honda CRV without enlistment number, a Red M/Benz 4matic with registration number ABJ 115 DA, a black Toyota Highlander with registration number AWKA 226 HM and an Ash Lexus SUV with registration number KJA 136 FD.
@MBuhari tyranny has made people to be in a state of anger
Truck Load With Five Cattle Rammed Into More Than Five Cars At Kwata Junction , Many Confirmed Dead in Awka Anambra State and was set ablaze with Cows onboard by angry youths .@MaziNnamdiKanu @MBuhari @uche_enna pic.twitter.com/gN3YXW0CpO
— Nwaiwu Chiukwuebuka (@NChiukwuebuka) June 4, 2021
‘Eyewitness report reaching us indicates that the crash which was as a result of brake failure involved a total of 12 people, 11 Male adults and one female adult .
‘One male adult who sustained injury was rushed to Princeton Hospital by FRSC rescue team from Awka, while the other two male adults, who were taken to Amaku General Hospital Awka, were later confirmed dead by the doctors on duty and their bodies deposited at the hospital morgue’, the statement read.
The incident stirred chaos and traffic gridlock as motorists made detours to escape to safer routes within the town.
