A devastating accident occurred on Wednesday night in Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, where a cement-laden truck belonging to Dangote Cement lost control and crashed into traders and pedestrians, claiming eight lives, including a pregnant woman and her child.
The incident happened around 8:00 pm, a few meters from the main gate of Adekunle Ajasin University, (AAUA).
The articulated truck, which was in transit through the community from Obajana in Kogi State and allegedly belonging to Dangote Cement, had allegedly suffered brake failure before ramming into traders and other road users in the densely populated area of the community.
Infuriated by the incident, enraged sympathisers blamed that accident on the removal of the barricade earlier mounted to prevent articulated vehicles from accessing the community.
The sympathisers, who thronged the accident scene, lamented that the tragedy has brought back painful memories of previous accidents in the area, which have claimed many lives over the years.
According to one of the sources, “Some boys in the community had been using the barricade erected to extort N10,000 from the truck drivers before allowing them to pass through.
The government turned blind eyes.”
While confirming the incident, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state, Ibitoye, stated that eight people lost their lives in the accident.
He said, “The deceased persons include five males, two females, and one child.
“The truck ran into a barricade in front of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, and lost control, resulting in the crash.”