More than 20 persons were crushed to death on Saturday night in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, by a truck conveying branded rice linked to a politician.
The truck was transporting the branded rice from Abuja, and was en route the Ifaki-Iworoko road in Ado Ekiti, when the incident occurred.
The truck belonged to the Dangote Group and was transiting from Ado Ekiti to Iju/Ita Ogbolu in Ondo State to deliver the rice.
It was learnt that the trailer caused multiple accidents on Iworoko road, as it also affected an 18-seater Toyota bus and a Toyota Corrolla car, thereby causing heavy traffic.
The scene of the accident was a stone-throw from the Ekiti State University.
Titilayo Ayelola, who witnessed the fatal accident, noted that the driver of the truck lost control of the wheels and rammed into the people.
Ayelola disclosed that the lorry was conveying rice branded with ‘Senator Tayo Alasoadura for Senate 2019’.
Narrating the incident, Ayelola said: “The driver of the truck lost control of the wheels and rammed into the market which was close to the road in Iworoko. Many traders, who were still selling at night, were affected. In fact, it ran into the popular barber’s shop close to the road and crushed everyone in the place to death.
“The trailer was conveying branded APC rice which belonged to Senator Tayo Alasoadura of Ondo State and while other were crying, some other persons were busy looting the rice.”
Caleb Ikechukwu, spokeperson of the Ekiti State Police Command, confirmed the accident via a phone interview with SaharaReporters.
“The accident actually happened at Iworoko road in Ado Ekiti just this evening and I heard that there were causalities, but I cannot give figures. I am yet to get proper briefing about it. I learnt that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of that area is now on his way to the scene. So, I cannot give you the details, until he is back to brief us,” he said.
It was gathered that the corpses of those who lost their lives in the fatal accident have been deposited at the hospital’s morgue.
EkitiMourns: Nigerian Twitter Reacts After Trailer Carrying ‘Election Rice’ Killed 20 People
According to the reports, about 20 people have been confirmed dead after a trailer rammed into a roadside market at Iworoko Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The trailer, reports say, was carrying rice sponsored by Senator Tayo Alasoadura.
A bus carrying passengers was also involved in the accident as the truck crushed the bus before it rammed into the market.
In reaction to the news, Nigerians on Twitter are using the hashtag #EkitiMourns to express their sadness:
