At least 15 people have reportedly lost their lives and many others have been injured following a truck collision involving four buses at the Imo State University junction in Owerri, the state capital.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to reporters in Owerri said the incident occurred at 8:15 PM, adding that the accident happened on Saturday evening when the truck, experiencing brake failure, collided with oncoming vehicles in the Ugwu-Orji area.
“A reckless truck driver has crushed and some sustained injuries of over 25 persons at IMSU junction. This happened at about 08:15 pm. Four minibuses were hit by this truck.”
“I witnessed the incident with my two eyes. The trailer was carrying stones and was driving at a high speed when it failed to stop at the IMSU junction,” a witness said.
“What happened was that the driver was trying to avoid hitting those passengers and mini-buses that usually occupy the junction when it veered off the opposite lane, hitting more than four small buses loaded with passengers.
“I am very sure that 15 people died at the spot, while several others who sustained various degrees of injuries were rushed to the hospital. It was terrible.”
Another witness reported that there were no security personnel present at the time of the incident to provide immediate assistance to the accident victims.
“I was surprised that for more than one hour after the accident, the police that always mount roadblocks and even officers of the Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, whose state office is near the junction, never showed up to help out,” he said.
“It was good-spirited individuals and drivers that offered to carry the victims to the hospital and morgue.
“But if it is to collect money on the road and molest innocent citizens for no just reason, you will see them everywhere.
“Does it mean that the government no longer has an emergency response team whose duty it is to offer immediate help to accident victims?
“If there was such a person to attend to the victims, the situation could have been remedied. It is unfortunate.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps in Imo has yet to issue an official statement at the time of filing this report.
