Tragedy struck on Saturday, June 29, along the Amaoji axis of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, Isiala Ngwa South LGA of Abia State, as a truck conveying traders and seafood products from Akwa Ibom to Aba crashed, leading to multiple fatalities. Eyewitnesses at the scene described the accident as horrific, revealing that the truck was overloaded with passengers and large quantities of crayfish and other seafood, contributing to the crash.
According to firsthand reports, the truck, which was not originally meant for human transport, lost control after a tyre burst while navigating a bend at high speed. The vehicle somersaulted multiple times before crashing into a deep ditch. Traders on board were flung violently, with some crushed beneath the heavy cargo. Emergency responders arrived late, further compounding the chaos and loss of lives.
At least seven persons were confirmed dead at the scene, while over a dozen others sustained varying degrees of injuries, including head trauma, broken limbs, and internal bleeding. Locals and passersby were seen using their bare hands to pull victims from the wreckage before help arrived. Many of the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals in Aba for urgent medical attention.
Several survivors recounted that they had chartered the truck to return from a bulk purchase trip to Akwa Ibom, hoping to restock for the weekend markets in Aba. “We left at night to beat traffic, not knowing we were heading to our graves,” a visibly shaken survivor told reporters. “We begged the driver not to overload, but he didn’t listen.”
This tragic event has once again spotlighted the dangers of using cargo trucks for passenger transport, a common practice among traders trying to cut logistics costs. Authorities have often warned against this method of transportation, citing safety risks, yet enforcement remains weak, especially in southeastern states.
Residents of Amaoji and local vigilante groups were seen helping victims retrieve personal belongings and attempting to contact family members. Some of the dead, including a mother and her teenage daughter, were yet to be identified at the time of this report. Crayfish bags were scattered across the highway, a grim reminder of a journey that began with hope but ended in horror.
As families mourn and the community reels from the loss, many Nigerians online have echoed one heartfelt prayer: “May we never die while hustling for our daily bread.” This incident adds to the rising number of fatal road accidents in the country linked to poor road infrastructure, reckless driving, and lack of regulatory enforcement on transportation safety.
