By Izunna Okafor, Awka
It was a tragic scene on Thursday at the Idemili Bridge, Oba, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, as a speeding truck reportedly lost control and crashed, resulting to the death of one task force personnel and leaving two others injured.
The fatal crash, it was gathered, occurred as a task force officer, whose identity has yet to be officially disclosed, was attempting to stop the truck along the busy axis. The truck, according to reports, veered off and crashed, while its container fell off and plunged into the Idemili River.
This was corroborated by videos from the scene currently trending on social media showing the crashed truck on the bridge, with the container partly submerged in the Idemili River, as eyewitnesses, sympathizers and spectators bemoaned the incident.
According to eyewitness account and a voiceover accompanying the video, the driver of the truck and his conductor fled the scene immediately the crash occurred.
Confirming the incident in a chat with this reporter on Friday, the Anambra State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), CC Bridget Asekhauno, said the Road Traffic Crash (RTC) which was reported by the RS5.36 Oraifite Unit Command, involved a single truck at the Idemili Junction along the Onitsha–Owerri expressway.
According to the detailed report released by the Command, the accident occurred on the dual carriageway at about 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, February 5th. She further attributed the fatal crash to brake failure, as the ash-coloured truck reportedly suffered brake failure, leading to loss of control and the eventual crash of the vehicle.
The FRSC report further confirmed that three persons were involved in the crash, with one person confirmed dead and two others sustaining varying degrees of injuries. The injured victims were said to have been promptly taken to the hospital for medical attention by their colleagues before the arrival of the FRSC patrol team.
The Sector Commander explained that FRSC personnel who were immediately deployed to the scene helped manage the traffic situation and prevent further incidents, while awaiting the arrival of a tow truck to remove the obstruction caused by the fallen container.
In a further update issued on over the weekend, the RS5.36 Oraifite Unit Command confirmed that the crashed vehicle had been successfully evacuated by an FRSC tow truck after the goods were transloaded, thereby restoring free flow of traffic along the axis.
The FRSC, while expressing concern over the loss of life, advised drivers to ensure proper vehicle maintenance, particularly braking systems, and cautioned against reckless driving, especially on busy highways, as part of measures to prevent future road traffic crashes.
Watch the video below:
