By Milcah Tanimu
In a harrowing incident in Abeokuta, Ogun State, three individuals narrowly escaped a fatal accident when a cement-loaded truck owned by the Dangote Group collided with a taxi in the Panseke area late on Thursday.
According to reports from the scene, the Dangote truck, bearing registration number GRZ753XA from Kano, struck the taxi with registration number FFF197XB from Ogun. The impact crushed the taxi against a culvert and damaged its rear windshield.
An eyewitness, Ismat Abdulsalam, recounted that the accident occurred as the Dangote truck attempted to ascend a hilly section of the road but lost control. The immense weight of its cargo compelled it to reverse and collide with the parked taxi nearby.
Another anonymous witness explained that the taxi driver had left his vehicle parked by the roadside while he went to pray, as there was no designated bus stop in the area. This lack of proper infrastructure often led taxi operators to stop there to pick up passengers.
Fortunately, the intervention of the Nigeria Police Force helped clear the vehicles from the road and alleviate the traffic congestion caused by the accident.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Omolola Odutola, had not received a report on the incident when contacted and promised to provide details later. However, the Public Relations Officer of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, claimed the agency was unaware of the accident and did not respond to further inquiries at the time of this report.
