By: Ijeoma Sandra, Nnewi.
It was a black Friday in Nnewi, Anambra State, following a fatal accident along the Nnewi-Okigwe road near Nnewi Police Area Command, where seven persons were feared dead and many injured.
The accident, which happened around 6:00 pm, involved a trailer fully loaded with bags of cement and was descending a hill from the Oba axis called “Ugwuakpatiozu,” where it lost control as a result of brake failure.
The trailer managed to run through the police checkpoint at the Area Command and hit a tipperralongng the road before it finally rammed into a residential building, ng, where casualties were recorded.
When our reporter visited the scene, eyewitnesses said seven casualties were already evacuated to the mortuary while others who were injured were rushed to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, and other private hospitals.
An eyewitness said a little girl within the scene of the incident was still missing at the time of filling this report.
A senior police officer who spoke on anonymity said arrangements were being made to pull out the trailer to know if there were victims underneath.
The President of Anambra Tiper Drivers Suppliers Association, Mr. Arinze Ulasi, said the tipper and the driver that was hit near Area Command belonged to his association.
He said the tipper driver had been taken to a hospital.
Mr Ulasi said the roadblock on the expressway constituted a traffic hazard for the drivers. He also advised that drivers under an accident situation along that axis should veer to a dumpsite which he said could stop the vehicle in motion.
Ulasi said casualties are always recorded if the vehicle cannot be controlled early.
One of the passers-by, Mr Ikenna Ogu also called for the removal of the roadblock at the Nnewi Area Command.
He contended that any roadblock should be five meters ahead of bumps, whether by the Army, Police, or any other security agency.
