A tragic accident in Utu Etim Ekpo, Akwa Ibom State, claimed three lives, including a lawyer, and left several others injured when a flour-laden truck, pursued by military personnel, crashed into shops on Monday night. The crash occurred around 8 p.m. after the truck driver allegedly ignored a military checkpoint at Nkwot Ikot Ebo on the Iwukem-Etim Ekpo-Abak Road.
Eyewitnesses say the truck, speeding from Iwukem to Abak, failed to stop at the roadblock, prompting a high-speed chase. The pursuit ended when the driver lost control on a slope and crashed into a line of makeshift shops near the motor park. The impact killed three people, including the lawyer, whose identity is yet to be disclosed.
Locals have raised long-standing concerns about the dangerous road conditions, particularly the poorly designed roundabout. Some believe the alignment was compromised during construction years ago, possibly due to political interference. A civil engineer called for the roundabout to be removed or rebuilt to prevent further fatalities.
A female survivor, severely injured with mangled legs, was turned away from two nearby hospitals before being rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, 45 minutes away.
Military and police authorities in Akwa Ibom, as well as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), have yet to comment on the incident.
