A truck driver attempted to kill the Directorate of Route Traffic Services (DRTD’s) ‘Truck Timing Unit Head’ on the Kugbo stretch of the Abuja-Keffi road, according to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial task committee on Traffic Management.
The driver of a Guinness-owned Mitsubishi truck with the Lagos registration number AAA -477 XB came upon Mr Udunobun Otaigbe, also known as ‘Santos,’ while on official duty.
The DRTS Kugbo Area Command’s truck timing unit was established several years ago in response to an FCT ministerial instruction that heavy duty trucks should not be allowed to ply the road at peak hours in the mornings and evenings when workers are either going to work or returning home after close of duty.
While directing his soldiers to prohibit trucks and other heavy duty vehicles from riding the highway during rush hour, the police was knocked down by a truck driver near Karu bridge.
The truck was first stopped and parked on the side of the road, but the driver attempted to run and collided with the senior officer, who was concerned with other problems and not looking in the direction of the halted truck.
While some of his men worked to save him, others chased down the fleeing driver, who was unable to get very far due to the heavy traffic.
Wilson Aniete, the truck driver, was swiftly apprehended with the help of members of the Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC and other security officers the truck driver, Wilson Aniete was quickly apprehended and taken to the Karu Police Division.
The DRTS personnel who is gradually regaining consciousness is currently at the intensive care unit of the Asokoro District Hospital even as his face, hands and legs are badly bruised with various degrees of injuries while his Femur bone on the left leg was badly broken.
Responding to the incident on Monday, Chairman of the Task Team, Comrade Ikharo Attah condemned the action of the truck driver which he described as barbaric and inhuman.
According to Attah , “These are the drivers responsible for the high profile accidents that claim several lives on the road during rush hours. For goodness sake, why will the driver decide to drive off when already parked by the men who were carrying out their official duties?”
While adding that, “the driver will be prosecuted for this gruesome act. When the judicial workers resume after the Democracy day public holiday he will be arraigned possibly on charges of voluntary attempted murder, evading arrest and other traffic violations”.
He pleaded with drivers of heavy duty vehicles to be patient during peak periods to prevent multiple road crashes on Abuja’s busy roads.
