A major road crash involving several vehicles on the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway on Wednesday has claimed multiple lives near the New Gariki Market, witnesses said.
The collision, which triggered panic among traders and road users, involved four trailers loaded with cattle and goods, two commercial buses, two Sienna vehicles, and several smaller cars crushed beneath the overturned articulated trucks. Although the exact number of casualties remained unknown at press time, the scale of destruction suggested a high death toll.
Traders from the nearby Gariki Market rushed to the scene, struggling to lift heavy tyres and mangled metal in a desperate attempt to rescue trapped victims. Many wailed as they tried to reach survivors pinned beneath the wreckage.
A witness blamed the accident on motorists driving against traffic on the newly reconstructed lane. “People were driving one-way at speed. Before we knew it, trailers and vehicles collided, and everything scattered,” he said.
The chaotic scene was brought under partial control when about 20 soldiers arrived in four gun trucks and a Black Maria, directing traffic and creating a path for stranded motorists. The crash had blocked the only functional lane of the highway, leaving commuters stuck for hours.
No other emergency responders were present at the time, and authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the cause of the accident or the number of casualties.
