A yet-to-be-identified driver has fatally struck an army officer and injured multiple individuals during a bi-annual route march near Myhoung Barracks in Yaba, Lagos.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the driver, suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, lost control of the vehicle and plowed into over 100 soldiers and civilians at approximately 7 a.m on Friday. The impact reportedly caused the female officer to be thrown into the air before she landed with fatal injuries, while other soldiers and bystanders suffered varying degrees of harm.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lt. Col. Olabisi Ayeni, confirmed the incident, stating that the deceased soldier’s body has been transferred to a mortuary, while the injured personnel are receiving medical treatment at the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Yaba.
According to Punch, witnesses said the accident was particularly gruesome, and the deceased was identified as a senior-ranking officer. A resident of NAEME Officer’s Mess, Marda Barracks, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the victim held the rank of lieutenant colonel and that several other soldiers sustained serious injuries.
A high-ranking officer who survived the accident recounted his narrow escape. “I saw the car approaching and managed to jump out of the way. He could see us marching but behaved like a suicide bomber—he was speeding recklessly,” the officer explained.
At Myhoung Barracks, a tricycle operator, who also spoke anonymously, described the chaotic scene. He stated that the driver’s car violently hit the soldier’s head against the ground upon impact. He further alleged that enraged soldiers severely beat the driver before he was taken into custody, while his passenger was detained in a military guardroom.
The accident left at least 18 soldiers with severe injuries, including broken arms and legs, necessitating their immediate evacuation to the army hospital for medical attention. A witness at the scene remarked, “The soldiers quickly cleared the area. Had you arrived earlier, you wouldn’t have seen anyone here.”
Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to determine the exact circumstances leading to the tragedy.
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