A Dangote truck loaded with cement on Wednesday night, crushed nine people to death, including a pregnant woman, a mother and her child to death, in the university community of Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The accident occurred around 8:00 pm, around the main gate of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), and the popular Holy Trinity Church.
The truck, which was said to be in transit through the community from Obajana in Kogi State, allegedly suffered a brake failure before ramming into traders and other road users in the densely populated area of the community.
Infuriated by the incident, enraged sympathisers blamed that accident on the removal of the barricade earlier mounted to prevent articulated vehicles from accessing the community.
Sympathisers lamented that the tragedy has brought back painful memories of previous accidents in the area, which have claimed many lives over the years.
According to one of the sources, “Some boys in the community had been using the barricade erected to extort N10,000 from the truck drivers before allowing them to pass through. The government turned blind eyes.”
While confirming the incident, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state, Ibitoye, stated eight people lost their lives in the accident.
He said, “The deceased persons include five males, two females and one child. The truck ran into a barricade in front of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, and lost control, resulting in the crash.”
