Again! Two Killed as Dangote Truck Crashes into Family Home in Cross River Community.
A scene of tragedy unfolded in the quiet community of Iwuru Obio Ntan in Biase Local Government Area when a Dangote cement truck veered off the road and slammed into a family house, killing two persons instantly.
The incident, which occurred recently, has left the community in mourning and has reignited a fierce national conversation about the perennial menace of recklessly driven heavy-duty trucks, particularly those bearing the logo of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
The gravity of this particular accident lies in its violent intrusion into a space of presumed safety. This was not a collision between vehicles on the highway; the truck left the designated roadway and plowed into a residential building. Such a devastating trajectory points overwhelmingly to two factors: excessive speed and a catastrophic loss of control by the driver.
“How can you explain a truck ramming into a residential building and killing two people instantly?” asked a distraught community member who witnessed the aftermath. “This is not just an accident; it is a display of recklessness that has shattered a family.”
The tragedy in Cross River is far from an isolated event. For years, Dangote trucks have been implicated in a long list of fatal accidents across Nigeria, leading to public accusations that the government has failed to sufficiently caution the conglomerate and enforce stricter safety protocols for its logistics operations.
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The public’s grief and anger often boil over on social media, where citizens catalog these incidents with the hashtag #DangoteKills. An example was the death of Ruth Otabor, the younger sister of BBNaija star Phyna, who was also killed in an accident involving a Dangote truck this year. The national outpouring of grief at that time, like now, was accompanied by demands for the company to retrain its drivers and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy.
Prominent social media activities Very Dark Man has repeatedly called out the Dangote Group, urging the company to take responsibility for the actions of its drivers. Despite these public appeals, many Nigerians feel the warnings have fallen on deaf ears, with fatal accidents continuing to occur with alarming frequency.
Who is to Blame?
In response to past criticisms, the Dangote Group has often stated that its trucking fleet is largely contracted out to third-party transporters. The company has argued that it has limited direct control over the drivers employed by these contractors.
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However, for many Nigerians, this is an unacceptable excuse. As the brand owner whose name is emblazoned on every truck, the ultimate responsibility for ensuring safety standards lies with the Dangote Group. Critics argue that the company must enforce a strict code of conduct for all its partners, invest in rigorous driver training, and implement technology to monitor speed and reckless driving.
The recurring loss of innocent lives at the hands of these trucks shows a systemic failure. If a drastic review of the company’s logistics and safety policies is not undertaken, the tragedy in Iwuru Obio Ntan community will, tragically, not be the last. The needful must be done to break this cycle of death.
Again! Two Killed as Dangote Truck Crashes into Family Home in Cross River Community.
