Nigerian Air Force patrol vehicle kills six residents near checkpoint in Enugu

At least six people have died following a road crash involving a patrol vehicle of the Nigerian Air Force near a military checkpoint in Enugu State.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening along the Airport Corner axis of Emene in Enugu East LGA.

Witnesses said the crash happened close to the Ukwu-Oji Air Force checkpoint near the Enugu State Nigergas Company.

Eyewitnesses alleged that the Air Force driver rammed a Hilux patrol vehicle into two commercial minibuses after driving at high speed and overtaking recklessly.

“This accident happened just three poles away from the Air Force checkpoint before the railway crossing,” an eyewitness said.

“The Air Force man was driving recklessly, overtaking vehicles at excessive speed, before he had a head-on collision with two minibuses,” the witness added.

Witnesses said the impact caused the military vehicle to somersault several times.

Another eyewitness said several passengers died instantly while others succumbed to injuries at the hospital.

“The scene was horrible and gruesome. One person died instantly, while five others were pronounced dead at the hospital,” the source added.

The witness said several injured victims are receiving treatment at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu.

Residents said the two minibuses had picked up passengers from New Haven Junction and were heading towards Emene.

“They were almost at Emenite Junction where some passengers would have disembarked. Less than two minutes more and they would have been safe,” a witness said.

Some residents alleged that the driver involved was known in the area for substance abuse.

“Everybody around knows him as a drug addict. I wonder how their commander allowed such a person to drive a patrol vehicle,” one of them stated.

Witnesses also accused Air Force personnel at the nearby checkpoint of prioritising their colleague over injured civilians.

“Immediately after the crash, Air Force personnel at the checkpoint called their base at Akanu Ibiam International Airport,” a source said.

“They came and took their man to the hospital, leaving other victims of the crash behind,” the source added.

The Enugu state police command and the Federal Road Safety Corps have yet to issue official statements on the incident.