A lawyer and two other people have reportedly been killed by a truck loaded with flour that lost control while being chased by soldiers.
News About Nigeria gathered that the tragedy occurred around 8 p.m. on Monday at Utu Etim Ekpo, the headquarters of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area (LGA), Akwa Ibom State.
According to eyewitness reports, a military patrol team began pursuing the truck after its driver failed to stop at a checkpoint near Nkwot Ikot Ebo on the Iwukem-Etim Ekpo-Abak Road.
It was during the chase that the truck lost control and crashed into shops in Utu Etim Ekpo, killing the three people and injuring several others.
One eyewitness, Eno Umanah, a motorcyclist, described the incident: “The truck, loaded with flour, was coming from the Iwukem direction toward Abak and was flagged down at the soldiers’ checkpoint at Nkwot Ikot Ebo. The driver refused to stop.
“The soldiers overtook the truck, but the driver still wouldn’t stop, speeding toward them. The soldiers scrambled for safety as the truck sped down a slope toward the roundabout. It was impossible to navigate safely at that speed.
“The driver lost control, veering off the road and crashing into a row of makeshift shops by the motor park, killing the unsuspecting victims instantly, including the lawyer.”
Confirming the incident to journalists, a police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that an investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the tragedy.
The source further revealed that the deceased have been deposited in the morgue, while those who sustained various degrees of injuries are receiving medical treatment.
