Trailer kills 15 in Enugu market in Nigeria

No fewer than 15 persons were killed yesterday in Oji-River Local Government Area of Enugu State when a trailer laden with cement lost control and crashed into a market located along the old Enugu/ Onitsha Road.

An eye witness told Sunday Sun that the trailer was descending a hill when the driver lost control.

The trailer consequently found its way into the market known as Wonderful Market Oji River, crushing the victims and destroying property including vehicles in the process.

Chairman of the market, Chief Augustine Mba, it was gathered, lost one of his sons who was said to be an undergraduate of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, in the accident.

A trader identified simply as Ikechukwu who dealt in building materials was among the victims of the accident.

A Toyota Sienna spacewagon was crushed by the trailer and its occupants killed. Their identities are yet to be established.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Police Command, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the accident.

He disclosed that the command had so far evacuated 15 dead bodies, adding that the mishap occurred when the driver of a truck lost control of the vehicle.

Amaraizu added that the truck ran into a Toyota Sienna spacewagon that was conveying people to different destinations.

He said the driver of the truck had been arrested, adding that the command had commenced investigation into the tragic incident.

“No fewer than I5 corpses were recovered while driver and conductor of the truck have been arrested,” he stated.