Family of 4, Artisans Escape Death as Crashes into Anambra Market

By Praise Chinecherem

No fewer than eleven persons, including artisans and four family members escaped death in an auto crash in the popular Ọgbọ Ọrụ section of the Eke Awka Market, Anambra State.

The incident occurred at about 12:47pm at a paint shop, known as the Divine Prince Iyke Investment in the area where artisans and other labourers stay to be hired for jobs.

Eyewitnesses said the driver of the vehicle, RAV4 (with the registration number: AFM 506 AA) was coming from a church after service, when he suddenly lost control, skipped the gutter, and sped into a paint shop on the opposite side of the road, crushing many buckets of new paints.

Some of the lucky artisans who spoke to our reporter recalled how many of them, prior to the crash were at that same spot discussing, while others slept off as they waited for clients.

“Just few minutes after we shifted from that spot to another spot in the same line, the next thing we saw was a vehicle speedily running from an opposite direction and crashed into one of the shops where we stayed moments ago.

“Indeed, God has celebrated Christmas for us by delivering us from this. What could I have explained to my family?” one of the witnesses who identified himself as, Rufus Anigbo narrated.

Owner of the damaged shop, Ibe Iyke who was full of gratitude to God for delivering him, said he received a distress call at about 1pm, informing him that a vehicle rammed into his shop.

“This accident happened some minutes after someone has severally called me to come over to the shop and sell some goods to him. I actually declined to go, without knowing that such accident was about happening,” he said.

Appreciating God that no life was lost in the incident, Iyke, however regretted that goods estimated at about N3.5 million were destroyed.

“I just bought over 80% of these goods about three days ahead of Christmas only to be destroyed in the crash. This huge losses will obviously affect my business this season,” he lamented.