Truck crushes retired police, wife, one other to death in Benue

TRAGEDY struck yesterday as a tipper truck crushed a couple and a passer to death while on their way to church in Makurdi, Benue State capital.

The incident, according to an eyewitness said that the incident occurred around 10.45am at Modern Market Junction, Makurdi.

The third person was said to be a passerby coming out of church.

The couple were said to be riding on their personal motorcycle and heading to the church when the truck rammed into them and crushed the couple including a passersby.

Tribune Online gathered that the driver of the truck with registration number, XB 969 GBK, was heading to an undisclosed destination when he lost control at the Modern Market junction in attempt to escape hitting the smaller car.

The Truck equally hit another unidentified lady who just closed from church service.

An eyewitness said that the driver of the truck ran away immediately the accident occurred.

According to an eyewitness, “actually, the driver didn’t intentionally crushed the victims to death, but the whole thing happened when he, (the driver), tried not to hit the driver with the smaller car who happened to be a learner five were persons inside the smaller car, unfortunately, the truck driver lost control and ran into the couple and the passerby which resulted to their untimely death.”

“However, nothing happened to the driver, but the motorbike carrying the couple was grounded to pieces together with the death bodies,” he said.

The remains of the victims were evacuated by the Nigeria police and taken to morgue at Federal Medical Centre Makurdi.

When our correspondent visited the FMC mortuary, a man who identified himself as Edem Obaah and senior brother to the late retired police officer identified the couple.

According to him, ”the deceased is my younger brother. He is Patrick Obaah and his late wife was Janet Obaah, while am Edem Obaah. In fact, my younger brother, late Patrick just retired from active service last month. I’m also a police officer still serving.

“I was inside church when his first daughter called and I quickly ran out to answer the call, only for her to inform me that her father and mother were involved in accident. On reaching there, I saw their bodies and I called the police. When the police came, I was able to identify the bodies of my brother and his wife but we are yet to trace the owner of the Truck.”

The Police Public Relation Officer, Benue State Command, ASP Moses Yamu, confirmed the accident.

Yamu said, “Yes, there was ghastly accident involving motorbike and truck where husband and wife died at a spot.”

Their remains have been deposited at the morgue of Federal Medical Centre Makurdi.