Lawyer dies in ghastly accident after taking late Mother’s ’s body to mortuary
A lawyer known as Okechukwu was killed in a tragic road accident on Sunday night along the Awka-Enugu Expressway in Anambra State.
Reports indicate that Okechukwu’s vehicle collided with an abandoned articulated truck, causing it to overturn and land in a nearby drainage.
A relative of the victim revealed that Okechukwu had just taken his late mother’s remains to the mortuary prior to the incident.
The kinsman, who spoke with The Punch on condition of anonymity said: “The incident happened along the expressway along the Awka area. The deceased thought the truck was moving, but when he realised it wasn’t moving, it was too late as he hit it, and his car veered into the gutter.
“The lawyer had recently welcomed a newborn with his wife, whom he married in February. His sudden demise has left his loved ones in shock.
“He had just put his late mother in the mortuary and was preparing for the funeral. Now, he’s joined her in the mortuary. The incident serves as a stark reminder of life’s unpredictability and the importance of cherishing every moment.
“It was an avoidable death caused by allowing abandoned vehicles to stay on the road longer than necessary. The stationary vehicle was at a dangerous position on the road thereby posing a danger to other road users.”
The victim’s body was taken to the morgue at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Amaku, Awka, after he was pronounced dead.
Local residents have criticised traffic authorities, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), for failing to remove the abandoned truck that contributed to the accident.
In response, FRSC Anambra State Commander Joyce Alexander expressed condolences to the victim’s family, offering prayers for their comfort.
She however explained that the truck could not be towed due to its load and stated that she had instructed personnel to secure the area with reflective tape.
She said: “I am aware that he ran into a broken-down stationary truck. Unfortunately, this happened in the night and the FRSC rescue team that went for the rescue operation could not ascertain from any eyewitness what really happened.
“It was not a tyre burst, as no tyre burst was observed. The only likely explanation is excessive speed which might have led to loss of control. We arrived at this conclusion because of the skid marks and yeo marks trailing on the crash scene.
“I have also visited the scene to confirm the marks and the apparent struggle with the steering before the vehicle eventually tumbled. I will like to point out here that the FRSC is not, and cannot be at every place.
“And that’s why we solicit the collaboration and assistance of so many groups and individuals, the media inclusive. That is also why we have the FRSC toll-free emergency number: 122.
“We rely on every member of society to alert us on crashes and obstructions.”
He said the truck couldn’t be towed because it was too heavy.
So, he directed his team to block off the area with reflective tape to warn drivers at night. This will stay up until the truck can be unloaded and towed away in the morning.
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