NECO Invigilator, Driver Escape Death As Container-Laden Truck Crashes Into School Bus.

NECO Invigilator, Driver Escape Death As Container-Laden Truck Crashes Into School Bus.

A truck allegedly chased by policemen crushes a school bus at Agbalajobi along Wempco Road, Ogba, Lagos on Monday.

LAGOS – An official of National Examination Council (NECO) (name withheld) and a driver, Lateef Showomi, conveying her to a centre where students were sitting for their West African Senior School Certificate examinations, escaped death by the whiskers, when a truck carrying 40-footer container of goods rammed into the school bus with Registration No. LSR 655XN.

The incident happened at about 12:30 p.m. at Agbalajobi Bus Stop, Wempco Road, Ogba, Lagos.

The drivers of the truck, the school bus and other eye-witnesses blamed the accident on two traffic policemen whom they said were chasing the truck for undisclosed offence.

It was gathered that the MAN Diesel truck carrying raw materials meant for Boulus Enterprises, made a U-turn at Agbalajobi bus stop, on Wempco Road and heading towards Boulous Enterprises Limited, when the two policemen on motorbike chased and double-crossed the truck.

It was further gathered that in an attempt to avoid hitting the policemen, the driver veered off and crashed into the bus moving almost side-by-side with his truck.

According to VERYCONCERN, the driver of the truck said he was coming from Abuja with raw materials for the Boulous Company.

He explained that as soon as he made a U-turn and started heading to his destination which was already a stone throw from the scene of the accident, two police men on motorcycle started chasing him.

“They were flagging me down and trying to ride in front of my truck. As I was avoiding knocking the bike down with the policemen, the accident happened,” Mustapha lamented.

Corroborating Mustapha, Lateef Showomi, the driver of the Hiace school bus with Registration No. LSR 655 XN marked ‘Educational’, told  VERYCONCERN that he was driving towards the junction connecting Omole and Agidingbi on Wempco Road, when he saw the truck driver making a U-turn.

“I stopped to enable the driver turn. As soon as the driver completed turning, he moved on the right lane while I drove on the left lane. Immediately, I saw two policemen overtook us and were forcing the truck driver to an abrupt stop. It was while he was avoiding knocking them down that he veered off his lane and rammed into my bus. We were only two in the bus. The other is a supervisor with NECO. I was conveying her to the examination centre,” Showomi narrated.

Also, a male eye witness who did not disclose his name said he was standing near the scene of the accident when it occurred.

“The policemen simply caused the accident. The truck driver made a U-turn here at the bus stop in my presence. I don’t know why they should be going after him. I did not see any sign prohibiting vehicle turning. As soon as he turned, the policemen on motorcycle sighted him and chased the truck. It was on motion when they were forcing the driver to stop and rode in the front of the truck. It was while avoiding ramming into the police bike that he veered off his lane and dragged the bus with the container on the truck.”