Truck Kills 10, Injures 7

A loaded truck with registration number XL661LSR belonging to Nigerian Breweries Plc on Thursday crushed 17-year old Chidiebere and nine others while seven others were severely injured.

Eyewitnesses said the truck veered off the road at Jimade Close, Odo bus stop, Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, and crushed the victims.

P.M.NEWS learnt that Chidibiere, an apprentice attached to shop 118, Jimade Close, Ladipo, was carrying  out the weekly environmental sanitation exercise at the entrance of the shop when the truck driven by a learner-driver crushed him against the wall.

An eyewitness simply called Austin said he was standing close to Chidibiere before the accident.

He said he saw the truck coming from the Nigerian Breweries depot adjacent to the spare parts shop.

Austin said: “I was sitting near the shop when I saw the truck moving towards us. I jumped to the other side of the road but the late Chidi did not see the vehicle because he was backing it. Before he knew what was happening, the truck had pressed him against the wall. He died instantly.”

Apart from Chidiebere, 9 other victims who could not be identified were also crushed, according to eyewitnesses.

However, our reporter was able to see only Chidiebere’s corpse. He could not confirm the death of other victims as the police prevented people from going close to the victims.

Spare parts dealers who lost their friends were seen weeping yesterday at Ladipo Spare Parts Market.

The late Chidibiere’s corpse was later taken to Olosan Divisional Police Headquarters, Mushin, from where it was deposited at the mortuary of Isolo General Hospital.

The injured victims were also taken to undisclosed private hospitals for treatment.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the driver of the truck, who was with the learner-driver that caused the accident, escaped immediately after the accident happened.

The learner-driver who was seriously injured was lying at the scene of the accident. He was later taken to the hospital for treatment.

—Ayodeji Dedeigbo