In Abia, Man Dies While Chasing Truck to Collect Revenue

 By Izunna Okafor

It was a blend of lamentation and condemnation in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, as a 42-year-old man, identified as Ikechukwu Ochi, died while attempting to forcefully stop a moving truck for toll payment.

According to an eyewitness, Martins Igwe, the incident happened around 1pm at the city centre, known as Cooperative, and occurred when the deceased allegedly accosted the moving truck, along with four others, but the driver refused to stop.

He explained that revenue agents, allegedly hired by state government contractors, usually chased haulage vehicles at both entry and exit points of Umuahia and Aba for tolls, ranging from N5,000 to N15,000.

He said, “In a desperate bid to stop the driver, the man climbed on the vehicle, perhaps to get hold of the steering and force the driver to pull up.

“Suddenly, the man fell off from the vehicle with a heavy bang on the tar.

“It was not clear what made him fall.”

It was learnt that his colleagues immediately rushed and picked him into a mini-bus and took him to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia."

"He was said to have been confirmed dead on arrival by a medical doctor on duty at the Accident and Emergency Unit,” Igwe added.

Visiting the unit, the deceased’s relations were seen weeping, while his remains was being prepared to be moved to the hospital’s morgue.

A lady, who identified herself as his elder sister, said they hail from Otamkpa in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of the state.

It was learnt that the hospital security alerted the Umuahia Central Police Station to arrest the four men that brought the deceased to the facility.

A senior police officer however anonymously confirmed the arrest,  and revealed that they were kept in police custody for further investigation.