About six people, on Tuesday, died in a multiple fatal road crash that occurred by Green Energy Oil and Gas Station along Agulu-Awgbu Road in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Gatekeepers News reports that about eleven people and three vehicles, including a motorcycle were involved in the crash, which occurred around 10 am.
According to eyewitnesses, nine male adults and two female adults were involved in the crash.
While five male adults and one female adult sustained varying degrees of injury, four male adults and two female adults were killed.
One of the eyewitnesses (name withheld) narrated that the driver of the truck, who was at speed, had a brake failure, lost control of the vehicle, and collided with the other vehicles at a checkpoint and crashed.
Some other eyewitnesses also blamed the crash on checkpoint mounted by security operatives and agents of the state revenue service on the ever-busy road.
Another of the eyewitnesses said, “Some revenue agents and the security operatives stopped some vehicles and were demanding money; before we knew what was happening, a truck failed its brake and rammed into the waiting vehicles at the checkpoint.”
Acting Sector Public Education Officer for Federal Road Safety Corps, Anambra State Command, Margaret Onabe, confirmed the incident.
Onabe said before FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene, passers-by had rushed the injured victims to Referral Health Centre, Awgbu, while the dead victims were deposited at the St Joseph’s Mortuary in Adazi Ani.
She said, “A fatal road traffic crash was recorded today at the Green Energy Oil and Gas by Eke Awgbu along the Agulu-Awgbu Road. It was a multiple crash.”
“The crash involved a commercial Howo truck belonging to BUA Cement with no registration number, a commercial TVS/Tricycle with registration number: NZH84LG, a commercial QLINK motorcycle with registration number: OLU245QV, and a private Honda motorcycle with no registration number.”
“The probable cause of the fatal road traffic crash was excessive speed and brake failure.”
“According to an eyewitness, the driver of the truck was at speed, had a brake failure, lost control of the vehicle, and collided with the other vehicles at a checkpoint and crashed.”
“Eleven persons were involved in the crash comprising (nine male adults, and two female adults) five male adults and two female adults sustained varying degrees of injury, and four male adults and one female adult were killed.”
“Before the arrival of the FRSC rescue team from RS5.35 Igboukwu, the injured victims were rushed by passersby to the Referral Health Centre Awgbu and the dead victims were deposited at the St Joseph’s Mortuary Adazi Ani.”
Onabe added that the rescue team managed the traffic and ensured obstruction caused by the crash was cleared.
The rescue team from RS 5.3 Anambra State Sector Command, led by E. Oguadimma, immediately visited the accident scene and also visited Referral Hospital, Awgbu, where the victims were taken.
The hospital confirmed that two of the seven injured victims were referred to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Awka, and another two were referred to Regina Hospital Awka, of which an adult female was confirmed dead on arrival.
An adult male was also confirmed dead at Referral Hospital Awgbu, bringing the total number of deaths to six, which include four male adults, and two female adults.
FRSC Sector Commander Anambra State, Corps Commander Adeoye Irelewuyi, commiserated with the dead victims’s families and sent his prayers to the injured persons.
She added, “He urged motorists to maintain a safe speed and drive within the speculated speed limit to arrive at their destination alive. Kill the speed now before it kills you.”
However, authorities of Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, have denied claims that their agents were responsible for the road crash.
AIRS, through a statement released shortly after the accident, said the accident was caused by the inability of the truck driver, who failed to derail the truck decently when the truck failed brakes on the sloppy road.
