Two People End Up De@d, Four Injured As Truck Rams Into Motorists In Lokoja Despite Daytime Ban On Heavy-Duty Vehicles (Video)

At least two people have been confirmed dead and four others seriously injured in a fatal accident involving a haulage truck along the Felele highway in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Tuesday night.

According to SaharaReporters, it was gathered that the accident occurred at the Felele bus-stop, a notorious spot for road crashes in Lokoja, despite a government ban restricting the movement of heavy-duty vehicles during the day.

A community source who confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters on Wednesday morning said, “Two people died instantly around Felele bus-stop. Meanwhile, the governor said he has banned them (tankers and haulage trucks).”

Eyewitnesses at the scene said the truck lost control and rammed into other motorists and pedestrians, leaving bodies on the ground before rescue officials arrived to evacuate casualties.

The incident has renewed concerns over the Kogi State Government’s enforcement of its July directive banning daytime operations of heavy-duty vehicles across the state.

A student leader, who also confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters on Wednesday morning, said none of his colleagues were involved in the latest tragedy on their usual route to campus.

He said, “Thankfully, no student was involved this time; those who died and were injured were community people, and that was still sad. This is another reminder to the government that this road is still a death trap to everyone using it, particularly us, students, who are the most vulnerable.”

Meanwhile, in July, Dr. Yusuf Suberu, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Usman Ododo on Road Safety Matters, announced the restriction, citing the high frequency of road crashes involving trailers and tankers in the state.

Suberu explained that after consultations with transport stakeholders, law enforcement agencies, and safety experts, the directive now restricts trailers, tankers, and other articulated vehicles to operate only between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. daily.

“This regulation is a necessary response to the devastating incidents we have witnessed. It is a strategic measure to reduce road crashes and save lives. The safety of Kogi citizens is paramount,” Suberu said.

But despite the restriction, heavy-duty vehicles continue to ply Lokoja roads in broad daylight, with little to no enforcement by security agencies, raising questions about the government’s seriousness in addressing the menace.

Kogi, which sits at the heart of Nigeria’s north-south transit corridor, has for years recorded deadly crashes, especially along the Felele axis, as hundreds of fuel tankers, trailers, and long-distance vehicles pass through the state daily.