By Praise Chinecherem
Three persons reportedly lost their lives while several others sustained various degrees of injuries when a truck crashed into a commercial tricycle at Onitsha, Anambra State.
The accident which occurred at the Onitsha end of the Niger Bridge, involved an articulated truck-ladden with vegetable oil and traveling to Asaba.
According to eye witness, the truck driver was struggling the steering with some revenue operators who claimed to be agents of government when he suddenly veered off the road after losing control.
He said the truck suddenly fell on top of some tricycles along the road, crushing the affected tricycles beyond repairs.
He said, “The truck was coming out from the Harbour Industrial Layout area of Onitsha, when it was accosted by the log wielding revenue agents who jumped inside the truck, demanding for undisclosed revenue.
“Immediately, the one on the driver’s side started struggling the truck steering with the driver. In the process, he lost control, and crashed into the tricycles, killing the drivers and some passengers on board.
“Others who were fast to jump off from the tricycles, sustained varying degrees of injury, including one of the revenue agents.
The witness added that more passengers would have been killed in the crash if not for quick response of officers and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, who brought their towing vehicle to lift the fallen truck.
Confirming the incident, Sector Commander, FRSC, Adeoye Irelewuyi said only one person died and two injured in the crash.
