By By Micheal Chukwuebuka
A tragic accident at Four Corners, Enugu, on Wednesday morning left several people dead after a cement-laden truck lost control and rammed into vehicles and pedestrians.
Eyewitnesses reported scenes of chaos as the truck, a Howo vehicle marked with the logo of Dangote Group, crashed into a Toyota Corolla before veering into a busy area. Rescue teams and bystanders rushed to the scene to evacuate victims, although the exact number of casualties has yet to be officially confirmed.
The incident sparked panic and grief across the community, with residents calling for stronger safety measures to curb the frequent accidents involving heavy-duty vehicles on Nigerian roads.
Initial reports had suggested that the truck belonged to the Dangote Group, one of the country’s largest industrial conglomerates. However, the company has issued a statement firmly denying ownership of the vehicle.
According to Dangote Industries Limited, the truck in question was operated by Visco Investment Global Limited and was en route from Aba to Abuja when the crash occurred.
In a statement signed by its management, Dangote Group said:
“We are engaging with the appropriate agencies to find out why the truck was carrying our logo when it is not part of our fleet. Going forward, we will apply more scrutiny to the unauthorised use of our brand identity, especially the misuse of our logo on vehicles not linked to the Group.”
The company further noted that it usually refrains from commenting on individual incidents but felt compelled to respond due to widespread misinformation linking the accident to its operations.
“Ordinarily, it is our policy not to comment on individual cases, but the spread of misinformation linking these incidents to the Dangote Group without evidence has compelled us to respond. We call on the public and the media to avoid spreading unverified claims.”
Dangote Industries pledged full cooperation with investigators and expressed its commitment to supporting the authorities as they probe the crash.
The statement added:
“We are committed to cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and insist that investigations should be allowed to run their course without interference. We strongly reject attempts to exploit tragedies like this for malicious or financial gain.”
As the investigation continues, residents of Enugu remain in mourning, with many reiterating calls for stricter traffic enforcement and safety regulations to prevent further loss of lives on the state’s roads.
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