Two devastating accidents on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway left 10 people dead and 10 others injured on Wednesday.
The incidents unfolded along the Ozalla/Four-Corner axis, as confirmed by Enugu Police Command spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe. “The injured victims are receiving treatment in different hospitals,” he stated, underscoring the swift response to the chaos.
The first crash erupted around 9 a.m., involving a Howo truck loaded with cement, a Toyota Corolla, a Foton bus, and a Daihatsu Hijet mini-bus. Police reports indicate the truck collided with the Toyota Corolla while attempting to overtake another vehicle, igniting both the truck’s head and the car in flames. The inferno claimed five lives in the car and one passenger in the mini-bus, turning a routine journey into a fiery nightmare.
Hours later, at approximately 3 p.m., tragedy struck again when a Sino truck, also laden with cement, veered against traffic and rammed into a tricycle. Four occupants of the tricycle succumbed to their injuries despite being rushed to the hospital.
Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mamman Giwa, expressed profound sorrow over the losses. In a statement, he detailed the second incident: “This time, it involved a Sino truck belonging to Global Investment and a tricycle. The truck, laden with cement and driving one-way from Garriki Enugu to Nenwe in Aninri LGA, on the same Enugu inward-bound lane, rammed into the tricycle, leading to the death of its four occupants. They were rushed to the hospital but later confirmed dead.”
Giwa has directed the State Motor Traffic Department to conduct a thorough investigation into the crashes. Addressing the preventable nature of such disasters, he urged caution: “These crashes are avoidable as drivers need to exercise utmost care, especially during these Ember Months, when road traffic usually increases and possibility of accidents increases too.”
Ndukwe echoed the commissioner’s plea, adding, “The commissioner reminded motorists that “no journey is worth the loss of lives,” emphasizing that drivers should shun recklessness, obey traffic rules and prioritise safety over speed to prevent further tragedies.”