Tragedy struck on Wednesday morning in Akure, the Ondo State capital, after a truck reportedly rammed into several vehicles and crushed two brothers riding on a motorcycle to death along Reuben Fasoranti Road.
The fatal accident occurred near the headquarters of the Vehicle Inspection Office in the Alagbaka area of the city.
The victims, said to be middle-aged fruit sellers operating near Iyeoma Plaza, reportedly died on the spot after the truck lost control and ploughed into vehicles and motorcycles trapped in traffic.
A commercial driver who narrowly escaped the incident said the accident happened suddenly while he was offloading goods near a shop in the area.
“I came to deliver goods to my boss and parked my vehicle because the shop had not opened,” he said.
“As I was about bringing down the goods, I heard people shouting. When I turned back, I saw the truck crashing into vehicles and motorcycles. I had to run for my life.”
The driver added that his vehicle was badly damaged during the incident.
Eyewitnesses alleged that officials of the Vehicle Inspection Office were conducting a stop-and-check exercise on vehicle documents at the time, resulting in heavy traffic congestion along the road.
According to residents, the truck rammed into vehicles caught in the gridlock before crushing the motorcycle carrying the two brothers.
Police officers from the Ijapo Division later arrived at the scene and evacuated the bodies of the victims to a morgue.
The incident sparked outrage among residents and sympathisers, some of whom blamed the traffic situation created by the enforcement exercise for the tragedy.
Angry youths reportedly attempted to attack the Vehicle Inspection Office following the accident before security operatives intervened to restore calm in the area.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.