5 killed as truck crashes into vehicles in Anambra

….Accident not caused by revenue agents —AIRS

A fatal road traffic crash involving a truck loaded with cement occurred, yesterday at Green Energy Oil and Gas filling station, Eke Awgbu in Orumba North local government area of Anambra State, killing five people.

The truck belonging to BUA, with no number plate, hit many vehicles as the driver lost control and eventually crashed.

A  commercial  tricycle with number plate: NZH84LG; a commercial  motorcycle  with  number plate OLU245QV, and a Honda motorcycle with no  number plate, were involved in the accident.

Earlier information was that the accident was caused by government revenue agents who were allegedly pursuing the truck.

But the Anambra State Board of Internal Revenue, AIRS, has denied the allegation, saying the accident was caused by brake failure.

Acting Sector Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, in Anambra State, Margaret Onabe, confirmed that five people, four males and one female, were killed while the injured persons were taken to hospital.

According to Onabe, the probable cause of the crash was either excessive speed or brake failure.

Onabe in a statement said: “According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the truck was on high speed, had a brake failure, lost control of the vehicle, and collided with the other vehicles at a checkpoint and crashed.

“Eleven persons were involved in the crash, comprising nine male adults and two female adults. Five male adults and one female adult sustained injuries, while four male adults and one female adult were killed.”

She said before the arrival of the FRSC rescue team from RS5.35 Igboukwu, the injured victims were already rushed  to  Referral Health Centre, Awgbu by passersby, while the dead victims were deposited at St Joseph’s Hospital mortuary, Adazi-Nnukwu.

She added that the rescue team had managed the traffic in the area by ensuring that the obstruction caused by the crash was cleared.

The Sector Commander FRSC, Adeoye Irelewuyi, has commiserated with the families of the dead victims, even as he urged motorists to maintain safe speed when driving.

Accident not caused by revenue agents —AIRS

Following the allegation that its officials caused the accident, the AIRS said: “Whilst the board is saddened with the above incident in which there were loss of lives and as we condole with the families of those who lost their lives in the accident, the Anambra Board of Internal Revenue wishes to set the record straight.

“Contrary to the rumour that the said accident was caused by revenue officers at Eke Awgbu, the same cannot be true because, from the account of eyewitnesses and the police who were on ground during the accident, the said accident was caused by the inability of the driver to pull  the  derailing  truck  in  descent of  a sloppy road within the area of the accident due to brake failure.

“This caused the the driver to swerve from the road and rammed into other road users resulting in casualties and injuries to others.

“The naysayers and rumour mongers who are in the habit of attacking government agents or trying to stain the activities of the government are advised to desist from such uncomplimentary actions.”