Over fifteen persons have been confirmed dead after a trailer collided with four different busses at Imo State University junction on Saturday evening.
An eyewitness who spoke to our correspondent said the trailer was coming from Okigwe to Owerri but lost its breaks at Ugwu-orji, colliding with several vehicles coming opposite direction.
He said, “I witnessed the incident with my two eyes. The trailer was carrying stones and was driving on a high speed when it failed break at IMSU junction.
“What happened was that the driver was trying to avoid hitting those passengers and mini-buses that usually occupy the junction when it veered off the opposite lane, hitting more than four small buses loaded with passengers.
“I am very sure that fifteen people died at the spot while several others who sustained various degrees of injuries were rushed to the hospital. It was terrible.”
He added that some of the victims were hit beyond recognition while the driver of the trailer was unconscious and taken to the hospital as well.
Another eyewitness who pleaded anonymity complained that there was no presence of police personnel, NCDSC operatives not Road Safety to offer immediate service to the accident victims.
“I was surprised that for more than one hour after the accident, the police that always mount road blocks and even officers of Nigeria Civil Defense Corps whose state office is near the junction, never showed up to help out. It was good-spirited individuals and drivers that offered to carry the victims to the hospital and morgue.
“But if it is to collect money on the road and molest innocent citizens for no just reason, you will see them everywhere. Does it mean that the government no longer has an emergency response team whose duty it is to offer immediate help to accident victims? If there was such to attend to the victims, the situation could have been remedied. It’s unfortunate.”
