Truck crushes street hawker to death in Owerri

A man identified as Chibueze Uguru who hails from Izinye in Ezi Local Government Area of Ebonyi state was on Thursday crushed to death by a heavy duty vehicle along Assumpta Avenue in Owerri the Imo state capital.

 The victim who was said to be a street hawker was crushed to death by the heavy duty truck after losing control on the highway.

While narrating the incident to newsmen at the scene, eyewitness account says the truck with registration number, Lagos XY – 844 – EKS, lost control at the Holy Ghost Secondary School around Assumpta Avenue and hit a non-moving pay-loader before ramming into the young man who was hawking on the road side.

The eyewitness account said that the truck which was conveying sharp sand stocked in cement bags, was coming into town from the Onitsha road before officials of Imo Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO) who were on duty preventing heavy duty vehicles from accessing the state capital in the day time tried to stop him.

He said that the driver of the truck, noticing that the ENTRACO officials were after him, sped off, but unfortunately lost control and went directly to the hawker killing him instantly.

Briefing newsmen at the scene of the incident, one Mr Lambert Ofordire, who identified himself as the chairman of Imo State Hawkers Association, described the incident as unfortunate and cautioned truck drivers to be vigilant and patient when driving within the metropolis.

Mr Ofordire, also cautioned ENTRACO officials whom he accused of always treating them with hostility and disdain in the course of earning their living.

He called on the State Government to help them by instructing the ENTRACO officials to allow them do their businesses, as their hawking does not constitute public nuisance nor a security threat to the state.

Ofordire, who confirmed the death of Uguru, disclosed that his remains have been deposited at the mortuary, as they were making efforts to contact his family in Ebonyi state.