A devastating accident involving at least 10 vehicles caused panic and heartbreak at New Gariki along the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway on Wednesday morning, leaving body parts scattered across the road and commuters in shock.
The crash, which occurred near the busy Gariki Market, involved four trailers loaded with cattle and goods, two commercial buses, two Sienna vehicles, and several smaller cars that were crushed beneath the weight of the overturned articulated trucks.
Although the exact number of casualties had not been confirmed as at the time of filing this report, the scene pointed to a significant loss of life.
When the media got to the scene, the area had descended into confusion and grief.
Traders from the nearby market abandoned their stalls and rushed toward the wreckage, crying as they struggled to pull survivors from underneath twisted metal and massive trailer tyres.
Some could be seen using their bare hands to dig through debris, while others sobbed uncontrollably as they discovered human body parts trapped under the vehicles.
A trader who witnessed the crash said the impact happened “in a flash.”
“People were driving one-way with speed,” he said, shaking. “Before we knew it, trailers and vehicles collided and everything scattered. People were shouting for help.”
The gridlock quickly worsened until about 20 soldiers arrived in four gun trucks and a Black Maria.
The troops immediately began directing traffic and creating a narrow passage for stranded motorists who had been forced onto the only available lane.
Their arrival brought some order to the chaos, but rescue efforts remained slow and emotionally overwhelming due to the scale of destruction and the number of people trapped beneath the trailers.
As of the time of filing this report, emergency responders were still battling to reach victims and recover remains from under the crushed vehicles.
Authorities had not yet released an official statement on the cause of the crash or the number of persons killed.
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