Imo State was plunged into mourning as a ghastly road accident claimed the lives of at least five persons.
The tragic incident occurred on Friday morning along the bustling Owerri-Onitsha road, involving a long coaster bus belonging to the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Renewal Movement and a tipper.
Eyewitnesses recounted the harrowing scene, describing a collision that led to chaos and destruction.
According to reports, the Lord’s Chosen bus and the tipper were both traveling in the same direction, en route to Owerri from Onitsha, when tragedy struck.
In a misguided attempt to overtake the tipper, the coaster bus collided with it, causing the bus to lose control and careen into a nearby Coca-Cola depot.
The impact of the collision resulted in the loss of three lives among the depot staff, who were tragically struck down by the out-of-control vehicle.
Both the tipper driver and conductor met their untimely death, with the conductor suffering a particularly gruesome fate as the moving tipper crushed his head upon its impact.
Despite the heroic efforts of bystanders and emergency responders, the toll of the accident was devastating, with five victims confirmed dead at the scene.
While some were fortunate enough to be evacuated to a hospital for treatment, others were not as fortunate as their lives cut short.
Amidst the chaos and sorrow, questions arose about the circumstances leading to the accident.
An anonymous resident of the Orogwe community pointed fingers at the Lord’s Chosen bus driver, attributing the collision to reckless driving and a failure to consider the narrowness of the road.
Efforts to reach the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for official statements were unsuccessful, as officials declined to comment on the incident.
Similarly, attempts to contact the FRSC Public Relations Officer were met with silence, leaving many questions unanswered in the wake of the tragedy.