A tragic scene unfolded on Wednesday evening in Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, as at least ten people — including a pregnant woman — were confirmed dead in a devastating road accident involving a Dangote Cement truck.
The truck, reportedly laden with cement, lost control along the busy Owo–Akungba–Ikare Expressway, ramming into roadside shops near the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA). The impact left several people dead and threw the university community into deep mourning.
According to eyewitnesses, chaos erupted when the speeding truck veered off the highway and ploughed into a row of shops.
“The truck was coming from the hill. We don’t know if the barricade was opened or broken, but people said the trailer destroyed it. About five people were already dead before help came, and we don’t even know how many more are trapped under the truck,” one eyewitness recounted in a trembling voice.
Another witness described the horror of seeing a pregnant woman’s lifeless body pulled from under the wreckage.
Emergency responders, including officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), later arrived at the scene to recover bodies and clear the mangled remains of the vehicle.
Confirming the incident, FRSC Sector Commander, Samuel Ibitoye, said the crash involved a Dangote truck that rammed into a barricade before losing control.
“The incident involved a truck loaded with cement, which ran into a barricade in front of Adekunle Ajasin University and lost control, resulting in multiple fatalities,” Ibitoye said.
“No fewer than eight people were killed — five males, two females, and one male child,” he added.
Ibitoye, who described the accident as avoidable, urged motorists to always ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before embarking on journeys.
“Drivers must obey traffic rules and regulations and avoid overspeeding. Many of these tragedies happen because of negligence,” the FRSC boss cautioned.
As dusk settled on Akungba, grieving residents and students of AAUA gathered at the crash site — a haunting reminder of similar fatal incidents that have plagued the area in recent years.
