Olusesan Oba
A lawyer identified as Okechukwu was killed in a tragic road accident along the Awka-Enugu Expressway in Anambra State on Sunday night.
The incident occurred near Awka when his vehicle collided with an abandoned articulated truck, causing the car to somersault into a nearby drainage.
According to sources, Okechukwu had just returned from depositing the remains of his late mother at the mortuary before the crash.
A kinsman of the deceased, who confirmed the incident, explained that the lawyer mistook the stationary truck for a moving one and only realised too late that it was not in motion. His car struck the truck and veered into the gutter.
The kinsman, speaking under anonymity, revealed, “He had recently welcomed a newborn child with his wife, whom he married in February.
He was also preparing for his mother’s funeral. This tragic accident has left his family in complete shock.”
The unfortunate event has sparked criticism from residents, who blamed the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other traffic authorities for failing to tow the abandoned truck in a timely manner, which they said posed a danger to road users.
“This was an avoidable death caused by the negligence of allowing abandoned vehicles to stay on the road for too long,” the kinsman added.
Okechukwu’s remains have been deposited at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital morgue, Amaku, Awka, following confirmation of his death.
In response to the public outcry, Anambra State FRSC Commander, Joyce Alexander, expressed her condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for God’s comfort during this difficult time.
Addressing the situation, she noted that the abandoned truck could not be towed earlier due to the heavy load it was carrying, but said the scene had been cordoned off with reflective tape to warn oncoming traffic.
“I am aware that the victim collided with a stationary truck. Our rescue team was unable to gather detailed eyewitness accounts due to the time of the accident, but from our findings, it appears excessive speed contributed to the crash. Skid marks at the scene suggest the driver struggled with the steering before the vehicle tumbled,” she said.
Commander Alexander also emphasized the FRSC’s reliance on public assistance for reporting road hazards and urged residents to use the FRSC emergency toll-free number, 122, to report crashes and obstructions.
The FRSC has committed to removing the truck after offloading its cargo, to prevent further accidents along the expressway.
