The Ogun State Police Command has launched a manhunt for a truck driver who crushed three automobile technicians to death in the Kemta area of Abeokuta on Wednesday.
Confirming the development on Friday, the command’s spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, said the driver fled the scene immediately after the accident and remains at large.
The tragic incident sparked outrage among technicians at the Ajebo Mechanic Village in Abeokuta, who took to the streets in protest on Thursday.
Members of the Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) blocked the Ajebo/OGTV road, vowing to prevent trucks from using the route until authorities take action.
Odutola reassured the protesters that the police are actively working to apprehend the driver. “The technicians are aware of the whole issue that he has not been arrested. The truck is in the police station,” she told journalists.
In response to the situation, police representatives engaged in discussions with truck owners, technicians, and the families of the deceased.
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Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Chairman of Ajebo Mechanic Village, Saheed Arulogun, confirmed that efforts are underway to address the matter.
He revealed that truck owners are seeking to facilitate the release of the deceased for burial and considering compensation for their families.
“There will be a meeting that will involve all parties by 4:00 p.m. today. We will know the next step after the meeting,” Arulogun stated.
The police have assured the public that efforts to track down the driver continue, urging calm as investigations progress.