Tragedy struck on Friday in Luga, a community along the Gboko–Aliade road in Benue State, when a Dangote truck reportedly crushed a Bajaj motorcycle, killing its three occupants instantly.
The victims, identified as Orgem Ugondo and Aondozungwe Ugondo, who were brothers from the Mbatan kindred in Mbayion, Gboko Local Government Area, and an unidentified female passenger, all died on the spot.
According to eyewitnesses, two Dangote trucks were allegedly racing side by side on the narrow road when one of them, in an attempt to overtake the other, rammed into the motorcycle from behind, dragging it several metres before coming to a stop.
“The road is very narrow, and both trucks were struggling for space. Before anyone could react, the bike was hit and crushed,” a local resident told reporters.
Following the accident, the mangled bodies of the victims were evacuated to a mortuary in Agidi, a nearby community. The two trucks involved were subsequently seized by the police and moved to the Gboko Police Station for investigation.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Gboko branch of Dantrans, the transport arm of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Mr. Adamu Alfa, described the tragedy as “deeply unfortunate.”
He, however, clarified that the trucks involved were not attached to the Gboko cement plant, but rather originated from the company’s Ibese Cement Plant in Ogun State.
“We sympathise with the families of those who lost their lives. It’s a sad occurrence,” Alfa said. “The company has been organizing weekly sensitisation sessions for our drivers to promote safety and responsible road conduct. We are committed to ensuring that incidents like this are prevented in the future.”
Meanwhile, while the two brothers have been identified by their relatives, the female passenger said to have been offered a lift by them on their way home was yet to be identified at the time of filing this report.
The Benue State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of press time.
