A soldier lost his life on Tuesday when a truck belonging to a logistics company ran over him at Orile bus stop in Iganmu, Lagos.
According to reports, the driver of the truck was trying to escape a group of extortionists who were demanding money from commercial bus drivers at the Orile section of the Badagry expressway.
Despite the tragic accident, the driver callously fled the scene in a reckless manner. Upon witnessing the incident, other soldiers gave chase to the escaping truck.
The soldiers managed to intercept the truck at the Mile 2 bus stop, although the conductor was able to evade capture.
Shola James, a trader at Orile, recounted how the soldiers brought back the truck and the driver to the scene of the accident.
Describing the gruesome scene, Shola said, “The soldier’s head was crushed by the truck’s back tire. I couldn’t bring myself to look at the body again.”
Another eyewitness, a vulcanizer, mentioned that the soldier was riding his motorcycle when the truck collided with him, resulting in his immediate death.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed that neither the truck driver nor the vehicle itself was handed over to the police.
Benjamin stated, “Following the incident, the DPO of Orile Police Station and his officers arrived at the site and discovered the soldier’s body. The soldiers, along with the truck and driver, returned to the barracks with the deceased soldier’s body.”