Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Tragedy has hit Akure, the Ondo State capital, as a commercial motorcyclist (okada rider) identified as Kayode Esho, was crushed to death by a petrol tanker.
The incident caused pandemonium in the community as some individuals threatened to kill the tanker driver.
The latter, however, escaped being lynched with the assistance of security operatives who stormed the scene of the incident on the invitation of some drivers plying the road.
The incident, which happened at the popular Iyeoma Junction along Alagbaka Road in Akure also caused traffic gridlock that lasted for hours.
An eyewitness told our correspondent that the accident might have been caused by brake failure.
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He blamed the traffic officers at the junction for the disaster.
He said: “It was the traffic officer at the junction that caused the accident.
“The tanker driver had given a sign to the traffic officer that he was having a problem with his brakes but the officer insisted on stopping the truck; that caused the accident.
“The okada rider had just been passed, but he did not know that the tanker approaching was experiencing
brake failure; that was how the tanker simply crushed him.”
He lamented that for more than 30 minutes, the body of the deceased was trapped in the body of the tanker.
Policemen from the Ondo State police command had to battle to clear the gridlock caused by the accident.