Blessing Bello, Reporting
PANIC gripped motorists and residents on Thursday after a cement-laden truck reportedly plunged into the Ovia River from the Ovia River Bridge along the Benin-Ore Expressway in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The truck, said to be branded with the logo of Dangote Cement, reportedly crashed into the river under circumstances that remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
Although the exact number of occupants in the vehicle could not be immediately determined, several persons were feared dead, according to preliminary accounts from eyewitnesses and road users at the scene.
Emergency responders, including officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), were swiftly mobilised to the area, while divers were deployed to assist in ongoing rescue and recovery operations.
The incident triggered severe traffic congestion along the busy Benin-Ore Expressway, leaving hundreds of commuters and other road users stranded for several hours.
Eyewitnesses said traffic movement on both sides of the highway slowed considerably as curious onlookers gathered around the bridge while emergency personnel worked to access the submerged vehicle.
Some frustrated motorists reportedly abandoned their vehicles as the gridlock stretched for several kilometres along the route.
Sources at the scene disclosed that rescue teams were focused on locating possible occupants of the truck and establishing the cause of the crash.
As of press time, rescue operations were still ongoing, with emergency workers battling difficult conditions in the river.
The FRSC had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while authorities were also yet to confirm the number of casualties.
The Benin-Ore Expressway remains one of Nigeria’s busiest transport corridors, linking the South-South and South-East regions with the South-West and other parts of the country.
Thursday’s incident has once again raised concerns over safety on the highway, particularly around major bridges and other accident-prone sections of the road.
Residents and motorists have called on relevant authorities to expedite rescue efforts and conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
