Three persons, including a man and his daughter, were feared killed on New Year’s Day after a saloon car crashed into a stationary waste truck at the Obiri-Kwerre flyover in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday as the occupants of the vehicle were returning from a crossover church service according to The PUNCH.
It was gathered that the victims were unaware that a waste collection truck had been parked on the road without any warning signs.
Three occupants were said to have died in the crash, while others sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
A brother of one of the victims, Engr. Ajiboye Amaho, blamed the accident on what he described as indiscriminate parking by the truck driver.
He identified the deceased as Ahmed, Aziz and Sheilla.
Amaho said, “It is so unfortunate that a waste collector truck stationed on Obiri-Kwerre flyover caused an accident. The truck was just stationed without any sign of caution, and my brother, Ahmed, rammed into it when they were coming back from the crossover night.
“The incident took three lives, including Ahmed, Aziz and Sheilla. Other people in the vehicle are still unconscious in the hospital.
“I’m calling on the government to look into this matter, as this kind of careless act has claimed many lives in Rivers State. The waste management agencies should also monitor their contractors to avoid the loss of innocent lives.”
It was reported that Ahmed later died in the hospital on Thursday evening, while the other two victims died on the spot. Survivors of the crash include Ahmed’s son and his sister, who both sustained injuries.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said an investigation had commenced.
“Yes, I can confirm the incident. Their vehicle rammed into a stationary truck,” she said.
“Our hearts go out to the victims. However, an investigation is ongoing to ascertain the details of what happened.”
