No fewer than seven persons lost their lives, Saturday evening, when a tipper lorry ran into an evening market near 33 Junction, leaving 13 more with injuries.
The residents of Nsugbe in Oyi local government area of Anambra state, alleged that the tipper lorry driver was been chased by men of the tax collectors along Umuleri- Onitsha road, while trying to evade tax men harassment before the unfortunate incident occurred.
Correspondent, Bamidele Ajayi gathered that some hoodlums employed by some government agency to collect toll fee from commuters were alleged to apply forceful means to carry out their task which resulted to the unfortunate death of the street traders.
Tears and wailing ran the chicks of soe residents of Nkwele-Zunaka, seeing their love ones murdered in cold blood by what was tagged as negligence on the part of some hoodlums who claimed to be under the employment of the state government to collect toll fee from commuters and lorry drivers who ply that road.
The deceased were said to be grocery sellers and buyers who were unconscious of the event, before the hoodlums commences the chase of the tipper lorry driver.
Eyewitnesses account revealed that the hoodlums were dragging the lorry steering with the tipper driver over a 200 naira toll fee, which the tipper driver refused to pay. The driver lost control of the vehicle in the process and it veered into the market.
The incident was said to have infuriated youths in the area, who mobilised, burnt the vehicle, while the vigilante operatives who were said to be chasing the vehicle vanished.
The people called on the state government to fashion out plans that would regulate the operations of the hoodlums who collect toll fee on the highways mindless of what happens in the course of discharging their duty.
The eyewitnesses further lamented that the hoodlums operating in that area were noted for harassing, intimidating and subjecting the residents of the area to all kinds of punishment and even physical assault at the slightest provocation or no provocation at all.
When contacted to confirm the incident, the public relation officer Federal Road Safety Commission, Anambra command. Ufiem Ejem said the command has not gotten details of the crash and could not ascertain the true cause of the tipper lorry mishap.
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