No fewer than eight operatives attached to the Anambra State Special Anti-Tout Squad have been feared dead, with others injured, after their vehicle collided with a tipper fully loaded with sand.
The incident occurred along the Onitsha-Owerri Road axis of Oba in the Idemili South Local Government Area of the state on Friday.
Report gathered by YEPS News reveals that the driver crashed into the tipper as it was pulling out of a junction during the squad’s routine stop-and-search operation.
Eyewitnesses at the scene mentioned that about eight individuals were in the branded Toyota Hiace bus carrying the anti-tout operatives when the crash occurred.
One eyewitness, identified only as Chinwe, who resides in the area, shared with YEPS News, “The branded Toyota vehicle, carrying eight young men, was speeding when it collided with the tipper loaded with sand. The operatives were conducting their routine stop-and-search operation when the crash happened.”
She continued, “After the accident, the occupants of the vehicle were trapped, and passers-by had to rescue them. More than four lifeless bodies were scattered on the road, while the injured were rushed to the hospital. The incident has caused chaos on the road as motorists and residents struggled with the traffic.”
A video is circulating on social media, showing the scene of the accident, with lifeless bodies scattered while bystanders and passers-by performed rescue efforts.
No official statement has been issued by the state command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). However, when contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the FRSC in the state, Margaret Onabe, stated that she was in the process of reaching out to their personnel in the area to confirm the details of the incident.