Tragedy struck on
Wednesday at the Secretariat end of CMD Road, Ikosi Ketu, Lagos, after a
tricycle rider, Christian Ugochukwu, was crushed to death by a truck.
Punch Metro learnt that the
truck driver, John Monday, had bashed the victim’s tricycle earlier on
Shangisha Road and refused to stop.
The victim was reported to
have parked his tricycle and chased the truck. He reportedly caught up with it
at the Secretariat bus stop and hung to its side door.
The driver reportedly flung
the door open and Ugochukwu fell.
He was subsequently crushed to
death by the truck’s back tyres. A witness, who did not identify himself, said
the incident happened around 1.30pm.
He said, “Christian
(Ugochukwu) plied the Shangisha route and he was in his tricycle when the
passing truck bashed it.
“The truck driver continued
his movement as if nothing happened. He also didn’t heed the cry of the man to
pull over. So, Christian started chasing the truck, caught up with it and
hanged to its door.
“He had a stick in his hand
and he used it to threaten the driver that he would hit him if he didn’t stop.
“The driver suddenly opened
the door and he fell. The back tyres climbed on him and he died. It was a bad
sight.” It was learnt that immediately the incident happened, the driver sped
off.
Another witness said a crowd
mobilised and chased the truck driver, adding that he was caught at a filling
station in the Otedola Bridge area.
A police source said the
driver and his conductor were rescued by policemen from the Isheri division,
joined by officers of the Metro Patrol and Safer Highway.
“The driver said he drove to
the filling station to escape being lynched by the mob, who had petrol to pour
on him.
“He was rescued alive and
taken to the station along with the man’s corpse. The corpse was later
deposited in the Iyana Isolo General Hospital morgue,” he added.
Punch correspondent was told
that Ugochukwu’s wife had just been delivered of a baby on the morning of the
incident.
He was said to be looking for
money for hospital bill when tragedy struck.
The Police Public Relations
Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that the suspect
would be charged to court at the end of investigations.
She said, “The suspect is in
our custody and he is assisting with investigations. Meanwhile, the victim’s corpse
has been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy.”
Punch
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