It was a bleak moment during the weekend in Anambra state as about 15 persons died in multiple road crashes.
The accident occurred on Saturday at Umunya junction in Oyi local government area of the state.
It was learnt that the road accident at Umunya happened in the afternoon and involved two petrol trailers that rammed into an 18-seater commercial bus and a black Toyota Corolla car along the Onitsha-Nteje-Awka-Enugu expressway.
Asides the passengers of the bus, some villagers selling fruits and other food items at the road side were also involved in the accident.
Residents in the area including tricycle and commercial bus operators were forced to take to their heels for safety from the accident scene.
Sector Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Anambra Command, Mrs Margaret Onabe confirmed the incident to newsmen in the state.
She stated that the officers and men of the FRSC were drafted to the scene of the accident while details are being awaited.
Similarly, a total of 17 persons have been gunned down as a result of cult clashes between rival groups between Friday and Saturday.
The Anambra state Police Command is yet to come up with detailed report of the killings
It was gathered that the cult clashes between rival groups started on Thursday when two persons were gunned down at Ukwuorji village area in Awka.
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But on Friday, a rival group, whose members were shot, went on reprisal attack which left three persons dead.
The ugly situation had sparked indiscriminate attacks on both sides of the suspected rival groups.
It is, however, not certain the names of the cult groups involved in the clashes.
The latest attacks may not be unconnected with the battle over who controls the State’s revenue windows, particularly those of tricycle operators in the state capital.
At the moment, residents of Awka are living in fear as most shops and businesses, as well estates within the neighborhoods now close their streets and estate gates by 6pm.
Members of the Anambra Joint Task Force on Security JTF have since waken up to their responsibility towards arresting the culprits.
Commissioner for Homeland Matters, Chief Chikaodi Anara, in reaction, assured members of the public to go about their lawful daily businesses.
Anara said that operatives of the state security task forces have been deployed across strategic locations with 24 hours patrol in and around Awka capital in a bid to stem the tide.
