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The Rivers State Police Command has arrested the driver of a truck involved in a fatal accident that claimed the lives of a West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) candidate and a commercial motorcyclist along the Choba axis of the East-West Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Niger Delta Herald Metro gathered that the tragic incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the truck reportedly lost control and rammed into a motorcycle conveying the student, identified simply as Juliet, shortly after she completed her examination.
Juliet was said to be returning home from a secondary school in Emuoha Local Government Area, where she had participated in the ongoing WASSCE, when the unfortunate accident occurred.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the incident, said the truck was travelling at high speed before veering off its lane and crashing into the motorcycle.
“While the motorcyclist was conveying the student, the truck, which was moving at high speed, lost control and rammed into them from the opposite side of the road,” the witness said.
The eyewitness further suggested that the heavy rainfall experienced in the area on Wednesday evening may have contributed to the crash.
“The driver may have lost control because of the downpour,” he added.
The accident attracted a large crowd of sympathisers and passers-by, many of whom were visibly shaken by the tragic scene.
Confirming the incident on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Superintendent Grace Iringe-Koko (represented in the report by police sources), said the truck driver had been taken into custody while investigations were ongoing.
“Yes, I can confirm the incident. Two persons lost their lives in the accident. The driver has been arrested, while the truck has been handed over to the Vehicle Inspection Office for proper examination,” the police spokesperson stated.
She added that the bodies of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).
“The corpses have been deposited at the UPTH morgue, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing,” she said.
The incident has renewed concerns over reckless driving and road safety along the busy East-West Road, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.