Akungba Akoko residents protest Wednesday’s crash that killed eight

By Boye Oyeyemi –

There was palpable tension in Akungba Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Thursday as angry residents blocked the main road to protest the death of eight persons in a truck crash on Wednesday night.

The tragic incident, which happened opposite the popular Anglican Church in the town, threw the community into mourning and renewed public outrage over recurring truck accidents in the area.

In the early hours of Thursday, residents trooped out in large numbers, barricading the highway and halting vehicular movement to express their frustration over what they described as government negligence.

One of the protesters, who spoke at the scene, lamented the frequency of such incidents and called on authorities to take decisive action to safeguard lives.

“The road is not safe. We witnessed this in the past, so it shouldn’t have happened again,” the resident said. “A man lost his wife and son. Do you think it is pleasant? Government should intervene quickly.”

As of press time, security operatives were on the ground while efforts were ongoing to remove the wreckage of the ill-fated truck from the scene.