..KASTELEA Marshals links to accident, attacked
By Ujah Simon, KADUNA
No fewer then four persons including a newly wedded lady were killed in a tragic motor accident at Kaduna refinery junction along Kachia road in Kaduna State.The remote causes of the accident is yet to be ascertained, eyewitness accounts have however linked the incident to kaduna State Taffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency, (KASTELEA) staffs.
Investigation revealed that the uniform staffs of the KASTELEA, accused of been responsible for the accident which occurred Wednesday morning, were widely attacked and chased away by irrates youths in the area.
An eyewitness, Audu Madaki and three others who spoke to our correspondent said a Tipper loaded with sand ran into a motorcycle and tricycle waiting for traffic light and killed 3 passenger and ridders instantly, while the fourth person died while in hospital.
According to the sources, suspected to have been responsible for the accident, KASTELEA Marshal manning road before the refinary traffic junction were immediately allegedly attacked by eyewitness youths.
In the process of the attached, some nnocent KASTELEA staffs were allegedly beating mercelessly while others took to their heels, as the attacks escalated to Sabon Tasha market area of the state, about 30.meters away from the accident scene.
Contacted, the Kaduna state police command spokesman Mohammed Jalige, could not respond, however, KASTELEA denied staff of been responsible for the caused of the accident when contacted.
A statement from the public relations officer of the KASTELEA Mrs Joy …explained that their men were wrong attacked for been responsible for the accident.
Mrs Joy sated that “It was an unfortunate incident that would have been avoided. But it was certainly not caused by KASTLEA. “Our marshals have a working point way before the Traffic light at NNPC junction. The tipper went, pass our marshals and ran over a tricycle and motorcycle waiting for the Traffic light to turn to green.
“The question journalists should try and find out is why didn’t the tipper stop before the Traffic? Why did the tipper had to run into the Traffic in front of him and even after that, he didn’t stop until he has passed the Traffic light? “Was his brake functional at all?. If it’s true, KASTLEA were chasing the tipper how come no mention of KASTLEA vehicle was made throughout the rumours being circulated except for the ambulance that came after the incident to rescue victims? “If KASTLEA stopped a vehicle why won’t the vehicle stop? Have you gone there to get eye witness account”, she stated.
According to Joy the attack on their staaff was as a result of the misinformation that the incident was caused by KASTLEA.
