UYO—A tragic incident unfolded in Utu Etim Ekpo, headquarters of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, when a truck loaded with flour, being pursued by military personnel, veered off the road and crashed into a line of makeshift shops, killing three people and injuring several others.
The incident occurred at approximately 8 p.m. on Monday when the truck, heading from the Iwukem area towards Abak, was flagged down at a military checkpoint at Nkwot Ikot Ebo, on the Iwukem-Etim Ekpo-Abak Road.
However, the driver, ignoring the soldiers’ instructions, refused to stop, prompting a chase by the military patrol team.
Witnesses say that the truck sped towards them at high velocity, with the soldiers unable to regain control of the situation as it descended a slope leading to a roundabout.
A motorcyclist and eyewitness, Eno Umanah, described the chaotic scene: “The soldiers tried to overtake the truck, but the driver kept speeding towards them. They had no choice but to run for safety. As the truck neared the roundabout, the driver lost control and crashed into the shops, killing unsuspecting victims.”
Among the deceased was a lawyer, whose identity has yet to be disclosed. Additionally, the impact of the crash left many injured, with a woman suffering severe leg injuries.
Local sources revealed that the victim was initially rejected by two nearby hospitals, Divine Love Hospital in Utu Ikot Imonte and Utu Etim Ekpo Government Hospital, before finally being rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, about 45 minutes away.
Residents of the area expressed their frustration over the road’s hazardous conditions. Akaninyene Umanah, another eyewitness, recounted that the area had been the site of several fatalities, particularly due to the poor construction of the roundabout.
“There have been multiple fatalities here in the past, and it’s mainly because of the bad design of this roundabout,” he said, adding that local authorities had been made aware of the issue years ago.
A civil engineer familiar with the area also criticized the roundabout’s construction, alleging that it had been poorly aligned by contractors, possibly due to the influence of local politicians.
“The roundabout is dangerous, especially when coming from the stadium,” the engineer stated. “It needs to be reconstructed to prevent further loss of life.”
At the time of writing, military authorities in Akwa Ibom, as well as representatives from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Police Public Relations Office, had not yet commented on the incident.
The community is left grappling with the aftermath of this tragic crash, highlighting ongoing concerns over road safety and the urgent need for infrastructure improvements to prevent future accidents.
