Truck Loses Control, Kills Six Persons, Injures Several Others in Adamawa

Daji Sani in Yola

Six persons have been reportedly killed by a truck conveying laterite sand in Vinikalang town, Girei Local Government Areas of Adamawa State.

A source said the truck lost control and rammed into a motorcycle mechanic workshop, which led to the killing of six persons.

An eyewitness, Talatu Addison, revealed to THISDAY yesterday that the truck veered off the road after its tyre burst at the Viniklang junction near the Jimeta bridge on the outskirts of Yola, the capital city.

She explained that among those killed by the truck was a traffic police officer on duty at the busy junction.

According to her, “Isa Usman, a traffic control police officer, was the first casualty. The truck hit and smashed his body before it rammed into the mechanic workshop.”

Another eyewitness, Drambi Ezra, said: “It was like a horror scene to see the truck crushing mechanics who were working on vehicles.

“I personally counted six crushed bodies on the spot. We evacuated the remains of their bodies onto a police van.”

The driver of the truck was said to have escaped and abandoned his vehicle, sparking outrage, as irate youths set the

truck ablaze. The fire spread from the vehicle, razing many shops and destroyed an electric transformer.

As at the time THISDAY arrived at the scene of the accident, a combined team of policemen, Road Safety marshals, firefighters and Red Cross officials were busy evacuating the dead bodies and the injured.

Spokesperson of the state Police Command, SP Suleiman Nguroje,  confirmed that the accident, saying: “One police officer from the Motor Transport Department, Isa Usman, and five others have now been confirmed dead.”

“It was a hopeless situation that we just have to bear it, but the police will investigate the incident.”