Truck Driver Pursued ‘To Death’ By Anambra Revenue Officials – Police

The commissioner of police, Anambra State, CP John B. Abang, Monday, ordered investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of a truck driver along Asaba-Onitsha expressway, by Coca-Cola market, Onitsha.

THE WHISTLER reports that the accident occurred on Sunday, at about 4am, and involved a Mercedes Benz 911 lorry with registration number ACA-178-XA, loaded with timber, and driven by one Michael Chimezie Okorie, aged 25 years old, of Oduma in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The Anambra State police PRO, SP Haruna Mohammed, said the accident occurred when the truck driver, who was allegedly being pursued by suspected revenue collectors stationed at the head bridge, Onitsha, suddenly lost control and crashed into the concrete barricade near Coca-Cola market.

He said, “The driver of the lorry became unconscious, and was rushed to Toronto Hospital by the police patrol team attached to Okpoko Division where he was confirmed dead on arrival by a medical doctor on duty. The corpse was deposited at the same hospital morgue for postmortem examination.”

The PRO further said that following the incident, ‘aggrieved youths in their hundreds went on rampage and blocked the highway, setting bonfires on the road, but were later persuaded to disperse through the joint efforts of the police, union leaders and state government officials’.

One of the protesters, who did not want his name mentioned, blamed the state government’s revenue collection agents for the accident. He said motorists in the state were being forced to pay multiple taxes.