Many road users, including officers of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), popularly known as VIO, have sustained varying degrees of injuries in an accident at the Lugbe Bridge, along Airport road in Abuja.
According to eyewitnesses, the accident, which occurred on Monday, 19th September, 2022 at about 3:10pm, was caused by VIO officers on duty, who were driving against traffic, while chasing a vehicle at the Lugbe interchange.
The officers were said to have been driving against traffic on the bridge in an attempt to arrest a driver, whose vehicle documents had allegedly expired, but in the process had a head-on collision with an oncoming Toyota Corolla vehicle with registration number ABJ 717 CE, leading to severe damage of both vehicles. Eyewitnesses and sympathizers who thronged the scene blamed the officers for the accident.
The driver of the vehicle, Abraham, while narrating his experience said he was ascending the bridge when he suddenly saw the VIO vehicle coming from the opposite direction at high speed. Abraham said it was God that kept him alive, considering the impact of the crash.
@Ekpeme1 wrote”Poor mentality of the officers caused this avoidable accident, if proper training was done and daily safety brief given to them every morning before commencement of tasks, this accident wouldn’t have happened“.
@RayoKasali wrote: “Are Traffic and Vehicle inspection officers supposed to engage in vehicular chases? Can’t they just get the plate number and log the offense on the system?“
@dynamicBarminas: “We can’t continue to allow the drivers continue to becoming LAWLESS they must take responsibility for the damage vehicle. Why is he running In the first place?“
This is coming less than a week after a road user in Lagos State made a video of LASTMA officials driving against traffic.
Story: Ene Ken-Yawe