By Suleiman Anyalewechi
No fewer than 15 persons, mostly passengers of a commuter bus were early Thursday, May 16, 2024, feared dead in a ghastly road mishap along the Umuahia- Okigwe – Enugu Express highway .
Witnesses said the accident which involved an eighteen seater bus and a long truck occurred at a police security check point close to the Lokpanta Cattle market in Umunneochi Local Council of Abia state.
The long truck was said to have rammed into the bus with 18 passengers on board, while waiting to be cleared by the Police operatives manning the check point .
As at the time of reporting, witnesses said most of the bodies of the dead and others still littered the highway, adding that clearance operations are being hampered by irate commercial vehicle operators who have taken over the road ,in protest .
The protesting motorist are said to be protesting against both the death of the victims and alleged extortionist tendencies of not only the Police operatives at the accident scene, but much of the security check points on the long stretch of the Enugu/Port Harcourt Express Road .
One witness added that the irate motorists believe that it was the alleged desperate attempt to extort the driver of the bus that delayed him at the security post ,before they were crushed by the up coming truck.
The Abia Police authorities were yet to react and or respond to enquiries as at the time of reporting.
