…Otti orders investigation, vows to punish anyone culpable
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Tragedy, Thursday morning struck at a security checkpoint at the Lokpanta axis of the Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway, when an articulated vehicle (trailer) rammed into an 18-seater vehicle, and killed some passengers and injured many others.
There are conflicting accounts of the casualty figure as some say all 18 passengers were killed while some say only three persons died.
According to eyewitness account, the passenger bus was flagged down at the security checkpoint and waiting to be cleared when the trailer allegedly lost control and rammed into it.
The sad incident led to spontaneous protest as other road users insisted that the security agents on duty at the road block must be produced.
The protesters insisted that they would not vacate the road until the security operatives that mounted the roadblock were produced.
Meanwhile, Gov. Alex Otti has expressed sadness over the tragedy and ordered for thorough investigation to find out if there were any professional misconduct.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Governor said that anyone found culpable must not go unpunished.
Gov Otti, however, said that his immediate concern was how to save the lives of the injured passengers and clear the highway for free flow of traffic.
“Our interest as a government is to ensure that those who were injured are properly taken care of.
“Of course proper investigation must be conducted to find out if there were any professional misconduct. And those who are culpable will be punished. Government and the police authorities will come hard on anyone involved in the cause of the accident.”
He, however, said only three persons died as at the time he spoke with a security Aide to the Governor.
According to him, concerted efforts were on to clear the road and restore free flow of traffic.
“I was told that the Mayor of Umunneochi has brought in a crane to remove the trailer and that the road which was completely blocked has been cleared for easy movement of vehicles.”
Meanwhile, the police are yet to clear the air on what exactly transpired as the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Abia State, Maureen Chinaka, said she had posted the information on the media/police Whatsapp group.
But a check on the platform did not show any such information from the police as at the time of filing this report.
Recall that Ikengaonline had published an investigative report on how security agencies mount multiple checkpoints on that particular road and other roads in the South-East to fleece drivers and inconvenience passengers.
