One person has died and many others were injured in a multiple-car crash in Abuja on Sunday evening.
The accident happened around 6:15 p.m., close to the Nyanya pedestrian bridge according to the PUNCH. An eyewitness, who gave his name as Bola, said the crash involved six vehicles, including a trailer carrying drinks and a staff truck from Gilmor Construction.
According to Bola, the trailer rammed into other vehicles and caused panic among passersby, who feared it was a tanker explosion.
“I was in the stampede. I ran away for dear life first. Only the small boy under the trailer died,” he said.
“People ran in different directions, some jumping out of their vehicles thinking it was another explosion. When the situation calmed down, people came back to see what really happened.”
Bola added that both truck drivers escaped from the scene and even removed the number plates of their vehicles before disappearing.
“One woman who escaped the accident was shaking and shivering. I saw her but couldn’t help. I asked another woman to hold her. She fell into her arms and cried. I made sure she called her husband before I left,” he said.
The young boy who died was trapped under the trailer. His identity has not been confirmed.
As of the time of filing this report, the Head of Public Affairs at the FCT Emergency Management Department, Nkechi Isa, was not available for comment.
The exact number of injured persons has not yet been confirmed, but emergency responders were seen at the crash site helping victims.
Residents in the area have called on the government to improve road safety and ensure that trailers are properly checked before moving on busy roads.
