No
fewer than six persons lost their lives, Saturday evening, when a tipper lorry
ran into an evening market near 33 Junction, leaving 13 more with injuries.
The
residents of Nsugbe in Oyi local government area of Anambra state, alleged that
the tipper lorry driver was been chased by men of the tax collectors along
Umuleri- Onitsha road, while trying to evade tax men harassment before the
unfortunate incident occurred.
Correspondent,
Bamidele Ajayi gathered that some hoodlums employed by some government agency
to collect toll fee from commuters were alleged to apply forceful means to carry
out their task which resulted to the unfortunate death of the street traders.
Tears
and wailing ran the chicks of soe residents of Nkwele-Zunaka, seeing their love
ones murdered in cold blood by what was tagged as negligence on the part of some
hoodlums who claimed to be under the employment of the state government to
collect toll fee from commuters and lorry drivers who ply that road.
The
deceased were said to be grocery sellers and buyers who were unconscious of the
event, before the hoodlums commences the chase of the tipper lorry driver.
Eyewitnesses
account revealed that the hoodlums were dragging the lorry steering with the
tipper driver over a 200 naira toll fee, which the tipper driver refused to
pay. The driver lost control of the
vehicle in the process and it veered into the market.
The
incident was said to have infuriated youths in the area, who mobilised, burnt
the vehicle, while the vigilante operatives who were said to be chasing the
vehicle vanished.
The
people called on the state government to fashion out plans that would regulate
the operations of the hoodlums who collect toll fee on the highways mindless of
what happens in the course of discharging their duty.
The
eyewitnesses further lamented that the hoodlums operating in that area were
noted for harassing, intimidating and subjecting the residents of the area to
all kinds of punishment and even physical assault at the slightest provocation
or no provocation at all.
When
contacted to confirm the incident, the public relation officer Federal Road
Safety Commission, Anambra command. Ufiem Ejem said the command has not gotten
details of the crash and could not ascertain the true cause of the tipper lorry
mishap.
END
