A fatal accident at Nwanwu Junction, Igbeagu, along the Enugu–Abakaliki–Ogoja highway in Ebonyi State, has claimed the lives of three people after a concrete mixer truck lost control and rammed into roadside shops. The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
According to eyewitness accounts, the Mercedes-Benz cement mixer was descending from Nwezenyi Junction when its brakes failed. In an effort to avoid a collision with several motorcyclists emerging from Offia Oku Amachi Road, the driver veered off the highway, plowing directly into a row of roadside businesses.
The impact of the crash was devastating, reducing a local drinking joint and two makeshift food vendor stalls to rubble. Several victims were trapped under debris, while others sustained varying degrees of injury. Witnesses described scenes of chaos, with people screaming for help and bystanders rushing to rescue the injured.
“It was a scene of sorrow,” one eyewitness said. “Unconscious victims were lying on the ground, and the entire area was scattered with broken property. We can only pray that no more deaths are recorded.”
Emergency responders, including operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), arrived promptly to assist in rescue operations. Victims were quickly evacuated and taken to nearby hospitals, with the most critical cases rushed to St. Vincent Hospital in Ndubia. Despite efforts to save lives, three people were confirmed dead at the scene.
Confirming the incident, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Ebonyi State, Anthony Ogodo, said officers from the Igbeagu unit acted swiftly upon receiving the distress call.
“The accident involved a Mercedes-Benz cement mixer that lost control and crashed into a local drinking joint, killing three people instantly,” Ogodo explained. “The corpses of the deceased have been deposited at St. Vincent Hospital mortuary in Ndubia, while the injured are receiving urgent medical treatment.”
Residents of the area expressed grief and frustration over the recurring accidents along the Enugu–Abakaliki–Ogoja highway, which has become notorious for deadly crashes involving heavy-duty trucks. Many attributed the tragedies to poor vehicle maintenance and reckless driving by truck operators.
Local traders, who lost their businesses in the crash, also lamented the destruction of their livelihoods. “We came to sell and feed our families, but now everything is gone. It is heartbreaking,” said one food vendor who narrowly escaped the collision.
The accident has once again raised concerns over road safety and the need for stricter enforcement of vehicle maintenance checks, particularly for heavy-duty trucks operating in the state.
As investigations continue, the FRSC has urged drivers to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before embarking on journeys, stressing that brake failures and other mechanical faults remain major causes of accidents on Nigerian highways.
For the residents of Igbeagu, however, the tragedy at Nwanwu Junction remains a painful reminder of the fragile line between daily life and sudden disaster.
