3 killed, three tricycles crushed as revenue agents pursue lorry to …

From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

Three people have been confirmed dead while three tricycles were crushed by a truck at the Onitsha River Niger Bridgehead.

It was gathered that a lorry popularly known as 911 laden with Vegetable Oil was pursued by revenue agents heading to Asaba when the lorry lost control and crushed three Keke operators killing three passengers.

An eyewitness said that the revenue agents who allegedly working for Anambra State government, were struggling with the driver of lorry on the steering of the vehicle when he refused to give them money when the accident occurred.

The source said that the vehicle was coming out from the Harbour Industrial Layout area of Onitsha, driving through the Julius Berger Construction Yard to connect the Niger Bridge towards Asaba, when it was accosted by the log wielding revenue agents who wanted to collect revenue from the driver when the accident happened.

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“As soon as they jumped on the vehicle, the one on the side of the driver started struggling with the driver on the steering in bid to force him to stop and in the process he lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into the tricycles plying the area and crushing instantly the drive and some passengers they were carrying.

“If not for the officers and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) who have their Unit Office, near the scene, that brought their towing vehicle to lift the fallen 911 that trapped the three tricycles, more passengers would have been killed in the avoidable accident.”

The accident caused serious gridlock in and out of Onitsha to Asaba, Delta state.

The scene of the accident has always been the most dangerous dark spot of tout activities against vehicles entering and exiting Onitsha, as many drivers and conductors have either killed, or grievously wounded, while the vehicles were badly damaged by touts who operates within gone area even with the presence of security agents checkpoints.