Edo: Fear As Cement Truck Plunges Into Ovia River, Rescue Operation Underway

by Idahosa Musa

Panic gripped motorists and residents on Thursday after a suspected branded Dangote Cement truck reportedly plunged into the Ovia River along the Benin-Ore Expressway in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The truck, laden with cement, was said to have crashed into the river from the Ovia River Bridge in circumstances that were still unclear as of the time of filing this report.

Although the exact number of occupants in the vehicle could not be immediately ascertained, several persons were feared dead following the accident, according to preliminary accounts from eyewitnesses and road users at the scene.

Emergency responders, including officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), were immediately mobilised to the area, while divers were deployed to assist in ongoing rescue and recovery operations.

The incident caused heavy traffic congestion along the busy Benin-Ore Expressway, leaving hundreds of commuters and other road users stranded for several hours.

Witnesses said movement on both sides of the highway slowed significantly as curious onlookers gathered around the bridge while emergency personnel worked to access the submerged vehicle.

Some motorists reportedly abandoned their vehicles in frustration as the gridlock stretched for several kilometres along the route.

Sources at the scene disclosed that efforts were focused on locating possible occupants of the truck and determining the cause of the crash.

As of press time, rescue operations were still ongoing, with emergency workers battling challenging conditions in the river.

The Federal Road Safety Corps had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while authorities were also yet to confirm the number of casualties, if any.

The Benin-Ore Expressway is one of Nigeria’s busiest transport corridors, linking the South-South and South-East regions with the South-West and other parts of the country.

Thursday’s incident has once again raised concerns over safety on the highway, particularly around major bridges and accident-prone sections of the road.

More details later…