Driver dies inside his articulated vehicle in Abakaliki
NAN-H-79
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Abakaliki, March 13, 2017 (NAN) A driver simply identified as Mensah, was on Sunday found dead inside his articulated vehicle at Spera-In-Deo junction, Abakaliki.
Mr Jude Madu, Ebonyi Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abakaliki.
“ The deceased leaned on the steering of his vehicle,’’ the PPRO said, adding that investigation has commenced.
According to him, the Area Command received a distress call on Sunday, of a man discovered dead on his vehicle’s steering and immediately rushed to the scene.
“Our officers discovered that the man was dead, retrieved his corpse and deposited it at a morgue in the town.
“Investigation into the cause of his death has begun, we will immediately conduct an autopsy, to ascertain whether there was any foul play,” he said.
The PPRO however said that the man’s children pleaded that police hands-off investigation into his death and allow them handle the matter themselves.
“They said their father was suffering from an ailment which was known to them, but nevertheless, we will continue with our investigation being our statutory obligation,” he said.
An eyewitness who spoke on the condition on anonymity, told NAN that the man simply identified as Mensah, hails from Arochukwu, Abia and was found dead leaning on his vehicle’s steering.
“We were stuck in traffic congestion under the flyover being constructed at the Spera-In-Deo junction of the town.
The man was conveying sachet water, and he was ahead of us.
“When the congestion eased, vehicles started moving but he did not move.’’
According to him, some drivers move near the vehicle to confront him, but found him leaning on his steering.
“We thought he was sleeping, but when we shook him, his body which was cold and stiff, was lifeless.
“The discovery caused pandemonium in the area and we immediately alerted the police, while those who claimed to know him, left to alert his family of the incident,” he said. (NAN)
RCO/OIF/OU
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Edited by Obike Ukoh
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