Tragedy struck on Thursday morning as reports emerged of a fatal crash on the Umuahia-Enugu axis of the Port Harcourt Enugu Highway, with fears rising that at least 18 travelers lost their lives.
The incident occurred at a police checkpoint near the Lokpanta area of Abia State during the early hours of the day. An 18-seater commercial bus, awaiting police clearance, became the target of disaster when a truck driver lost control, plowing into the bus and claiming the lives of the driver and all passengers onboard.
Eyewitness Mr. Bananas Okereke, speaking to our reporter over the phone, described a grim scene where the bodies of victims remained scattered at the accident site even as at 8:20 am.
Amidst the chaos, the road became impassable as protesting bus drivers and other motorists demanded accountability, insisting that the policemen responsible for the accident be brought back to the scene.
Colleagues of the deceased bus driver and concerned road users took to the streets, calling for justice for the victims and asserting their resolve to maintain their presence until Governor Alex Otti visited the site, underscoring the depth of grief and demand for accountability in the wake of the tragic incident.