How a truck driver crushed all 18 passengers to death at police checkpoint in Abia

At least 18 travellers were killed in a crash on the Umuahia-Enugu axis of the Port Harcourt Enugu Highway on Thursday morning.

It was gathered that the accident occurred at a police checkpoint around the Lokpanta area of Abia State in the wee hours of Thursday.

It was also learned that an 18-seater commercial bus was at the checkpoint awaiting police clearance when a truck driver lost control and rammed into them killing the driver and all the passengers.

According to The Nation, an eyewitness, Bananas Okereke, told our reporter on the telephone that the bodies of victims still littered the scene at 8:20 am.

He said: “The road is blocked by protesting bus drivers and other motorists who are asking that the policemen who caused the accident be brought back to the scene.

“Colleagues of the bus driver and other road users have taken over the road, demanding Justice for the victims. They vowed to remain there until Governor Alex Otti visits the scene.”

On 15/05/2024 at about 22:30hrs, the Isiochi police divisional headquarters received a report of a fatal motor accident along Port Harcourt-Enugu Expressway, near Lekwesi Umuchieze in Umueneochi LGA of Abia State.

Investigation into the incident revealed at about 19:45 hrs a Mac truck with registration number KGE 22, driven by Amaechi Chucks Nwankwo, a 35-year-old male from Obowo, Imo State, lost control while descending a slope at the aforementioned location and destroyed two military barricades which he wanted to use as wage to the truck. He eventually got to the third which is the police checkpoint at that location but collided with a stationary bus, resulting in the death of two passengers, injuring five others.

The injured victims were taken to Christ the King Hospital at Ngodo Isiochi. Sadly, one of the injured persons identity yet unknown was confirmed dead.

The accident scene has been visited, corpses deposited at the mortuary, admitted patients has been treated and discharged, accident vehicle has been pulled out of the Ditch and Driver in our custody. Normalcy has been restored to the area, but monitoring efforts continue as investigation is ongoing