The Igbeagu community in Ebonyi State was thrown into mourning on Wednesday following a ghastly motor accident that claimed three lives and left several others injured along the ever-busy Enugu–Abakaliki–Ogoja highway.
The crash, which occurred at Nwanwu Junction around mid-morning, also destroyed roadside shops and stalls, leaving behind scenes of devastation and grief.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the accident involved a Mercedes-Benz cement mixer truck.
The heavy-duty vehicle was said to have lost its brakes while descending from Nwezenyi hill.
In a desperate attempt to avoid colliding with a motorcycle rider entering the highway from Offia Oku Amachi Road, the driver swerved off course.
Unfortunately, the truck veered into the roadside, where traders and customers were conducting their daily activities.
Within seconds, the massive truck rammed into a local drinking joint and two makeshift food stalls, reducing them to rubble.
People who were inside and around the shops were trapped under the wreckage as the vehicle finally came to a halt.
The accident left the community in shock. Witnesses described it as a horrific sight, with bodies strewn on the ground and survivors crying out for help.
Bystanders and emergency responders rushed to rescue the trapped victims, while others hurried the injured to hospitals for urgent treatment.
“It was a scene of sorrow and chaos,” one witness recounted.
“The truck just swept through the shops like paper. People were screaming, some were unconscious, and everything was destroyed in an instant. We are still in shock.”
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ebonyi State, Anthony Ogodo, confirmed the incident.
He explained that officers from the Igbeagu Unit were immediately deployed to the site after receiving reports of the accident.
“The crash happened at about 11:20 hours in the morning. Our men rushed to the scene and discovered that the crash involved a Mercedes-Benz cement mixer.
“Sadly, it rammed into people at a drinking joint and killed three persons on the spot,” Ogodo stated.
According to him, the remains of the deceased have been deposited at St. Vincent Hospital in Ndubia, while the injured victims are receiving medical attention.
He also assured that investigations were underway to determine the actual cause of the accident and whether the vehicle was properly maintained.
The accident has thrown the entire Igbeagu community into mourning. Families of the victims and local residents have been left in grief and disbelief over the sudden loss of lives.
The tragedy has also reignited debates over road safety along the Ogoja–Abakaliki highway, which many described as accident-prone.
A resident lamented: “This is not the first time we are experiencing this kind of tragedy.
“These trucks are often poorly maintained and driven recklessly. The government must act to protect people, or we will keep losing innocent lives.”
Another trader, whose shop narrowly escaped being hit, said the fear of heavy-duty trucks has become a daily reality for people doing business along the highway.
“We are living in constant fear. We come out to sell, but we are not sure if we will return home alive,” she said tearfully.
Community members and eyewitnesses are now calling on relevant authorities to enforce stricter traffic regulations, particularly concerning heavy-duty trucks plying the highway.
They urged the government to introduce measures such as speed control devices, regular vehicle inspections, and designated parking or diversion routes for trucks.
The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of roadside traders and residents along major highways in Nigeria, where poor road infrastructure, faulty vehicles, and human error often combine to cause devastating crashes.