27 September 2016, Uyo – At least six persons were feared dead in a petrol tanker crash which occurred at Kilometre 8, Obong Itam, along Uyo-Calabar highway around 8:30 p.m. on Monday.
It was learnt that the driver, in a hurry to escape police arrest, sped off and crashed into the pavement along the highway. A tricycle was trapped and the passengers in the tricycle died in the inferno.
According to an eye witness, Mr Cyril Ekpenyong from Obong Itam, the tricycle rider, was taken to a hospital, but died thereafter.
Ekpenyong said that the driver refused to stop when the police flagged the truck to stop, but the police did not pursue the vehicle.
He said that the thinking of truck driver was that the police team was pursuing him as he had poor lighting even at the rear.
“We saw the truck as the police were trying to flag it down because it was driving with one headlamp which was not even bright.
“The driver did not mind the police as he veered to the right of the policemen to escape”. Mr Godgift Uwen, the Public Relations Officer of Federal Road Safety Corps in the area, confirmed the accident.
- Vanguard
