David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
No fewer than 15 persons have been reported dead in a road accident involving about three vehicles, including an articulated one, in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
THISDAY learnt that the accident happened when one of the vehicles that was carrying some heavy metals lost its brake while negotiating the road, thereby ramming into one commuter bus and a private car, killing about 15 persons.
Consequently, the state Governor, Willie Obiano, who was presiding over a state executive council meeting, was forced to abandon the meeting to rush to the accident scene.
A source said the 10 persons died on the spot, while several others who sustained varying degrees of injury were rushed to St Joseph hospital for treatment.
A state government source told THISDAY that Obiano, after inspecting the accident scene, proceeded to St Joseph hospital, Adazi Nnukwu, where the injured victims were already receiving medical attention.
According to the government source, “Obiano regretted the huge loss, and ordered the transfer of the victims to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital in Awka for better medical care. He promised to take up all the medical bills of the affected persons.
“Consequently, he also directed that a road barricade be erected on the road to avert accident in future.”
The spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the accident to THISDAY, however, did not give the number of lives lost in the accident, but insisted that the command was still making a compilation of the fateful event before briefing journalists.
