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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State Police command has confirmed three persons dead and five others injured in a road accident, which occurred at the Umunneochi, Abia axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway on Thursday morning. The accident was said to have occurred at a police checkpoint at Umuchieze, when an 18-seater bus was on the queue at the checkpoint, waiting to be cleared by the policemen on duty.
It was gathered that while the bus was on the queue, a truck, which lost control, rammed into it, killing three of the passengers and injuring others.
The development reportedly led to protest by commuters, who believed the action of the police at the checkpoint was responsible for the accident. The protest, which caused traffic for hours, prevented vehicular movements within the area.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, who confirmed the incident, said investigation revealed that the incident occurred at about 7:45p.m when a truck with registration number KGE 22, lost control while descending a slope at the said location.
According to the statement, the truck destroyed two military barricades, which the driver wanted to use to stop the truck. He eventually got to the third, which was the police checkpoint and collided with a stationary bus, resulting in the death of two passengers, injuring five others. “The injured victims were taken to Christ the King Hospital at Ngodo Isiochi. Sadly, one of the injured persons, whose identity was yet unknown was confirmed dead.”
The police said bodies of the dead have been deposited at a morgue in the area.
