Truck drivers, on Friday, blocked the ever-busy Onitsha-Asaba highway in protest against the alleged killing of over nine persons including one of their members in a fatal motor accident in the commercial city.
Saturday Tribune gathered that the incident which occurred at about 12 pm on Thursday around the Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, was reportedly caused by the officers of the Anambra State Transport Management Agency (ATMA) following an altercation with a truck driver.
It was also gathered that both motorists and commuters coming in from Awka axis and exiting the town from Asaba axis were trapped in the traffic for hours, while some had to alight to trek long distances to find their way home.
The truck which rammed into two stationary buses was being driven by the ATMA official who took over the key from the owner when the incident happened.
According to a source who did not want to be mentioned in the print, said, “I didn’t know what the truck driver did but I saw the ATMA officer dragging the key with him until he succeeded and zoomed off”.
“The way he drove shows he is not familiar with the truck until he lost control and veered off the road and crashed into two commercial buses”, the source disclosed.
“Some persons, including the driver and those standing by the road died instantly, while others sustained varying degrees of injury. I saw about nine bodies lying on the floor,” the source added.
But the State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Utten Boyi, had in a statement said only two persons lost their lives while one was injured in the incident.
He said the body of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue, warning motorist to desist from excess speed especially in built-up areas, and should use recommended speed limit of 50klm/hr.
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