Three persons were killed and others injured as an articulated truck conveying flour rammed into shops at Utu Etim Ekpo, headquarters of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Monday.
The state Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Edward Odiete, could not be reached as his lines were switched off as of the time of filing this report.
However, the Corps Public Relations Officer, John James, promised to revert with an update “as soon as I reach the office.”
Meanwhile, a local source who identified himself as Gabriel Akpan confirmed the development to PUNCH Online on Tuesday.
Another resident, Eno Umanah, a motorcycle operator, told our correspondent in Uyo that the incident occurred at about 8pm on Monday when the truck driver fled from some bribe-seeking personnel who mounted a roadblock at the Nkwot Ikot Ebo portion of the Iwukem – Etim Ekpo – Abak road, lost control and rammed into shops, killing the victims.
He said, “The truck loaded with flour was coming from the Iwukem axis of the road towards Abak and was stopped by personnel mounting a roadblock at Nkwot Ikot Ebo, but the driver refused to stop.
“They then pursued and overtook, but the driver again refused to stop. They scampered away as the truck continued with speed and descended the slope towards the roundabout, but couldn’t navigate with speed.
“The driver then lost control and veered off the road into several makeshift shops by the motor park, and crashed, killing the victims.”
It was gathered that the road had claimed several lives since it was constructed during the tenure of Godswill Akpabio as governor of the state.
Another resident of the area, Mr Akaninyene Umanah, blamed incessant accidents on that same spot on what he described as “poor and irregular road alignment by the contractors.”
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