ABUJA: Nigerians on social media have erupted in anger over the growing spate of fatal accidents linked to trucks belonging to Dangote Industries, raising concerns about reckless driving and alleged poor regulation by Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s conglomerate.
The National Association of Polytechnic Students NAPS has already announced plans for a three-day nationwide protest to demand accountability for what they described as the incessant loss of lives caused by Dangote truck drivers.
The outrage intensified after two recent incidents in Auchi, Edo State. A few days ago, Ruth Otabor, sister to Big Brother Naija star Phyna, was hit by a Dangote truck, an accident that led to the amputation of one of her legs. She is still battling for her life in the hospital. Barely a week later, another truck reportedly crushed three people to death and injured several others right in front of the Omega Fire Ministries OFM headquarters in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area.
The incident prompted a strong reaction from the church’s Senior Pastor, Apostle Johnson Suleman, who took to social media to condemn the company.
“Dangote Industries you are not the only rich man on earth. Your recklessness in managing your business has caused harm to families and made many parents childless. Your truck just killed three persons few minutes ago in Auchi. You give trucks to little boys who are high on drugs and untrained. This won’t go unchallenged,” Suleman wrote.
His post attracted thousands of comments from Nigerians, many of whom recounted similar tragedies involving Dangote trucks.
In Kogi State, memories of past accidents resurfaced as residents recalled a period between 2013 and 2019 when crashes involving the company’s trucks were said to be almost a weekly occurrence.
AbdulAzeez AbdulGaniu Asuku wrote on Facebook:
“I just keep wondering — was there no social media activism or media coverage when Dangote truck drivers were k!lling people in Kogi Central almost every week between 2013 and 2019? Na the years wey my eyes see be this oo!
“Their common accident spots back then were:
1. Total Junction, Okene
2. One Way, around Secretariat, Okene
3. Old Zango, Adavi
4. Idakoivo, Adavi
5. Inobuburu, Adavi
6. Sharpcorner Checkpoint, Okene
7. Obehira.
“At that time, I was attending GDSS Okunchi, and I saw things with my own eyes. Hardly a week passed without families picking up the remains of their loved ones from the road, crushed under Dangote trucks as if life meant nothing.
“Their usual excuses were always the same — the road was bad, the brakes failed, or the driver slept off. But deep down, they knew exactly what they were doing.
“At some point, I even stopped taking bikes to school just to avoid the usual route through Ogaminana Road. Instead, I started following the Anyoke roads. I would trek long distances and even climb mountains before getting to school, but it still felt safer than the normal road back then. That’s how bad it was — even students weren’t safe from Dangote trucks in those years.
“I believe what later reduced the casualties in Okene and Adavi was the bypass road constructed by the previous government, before this present administration. The road linked Itakpe directly to Ajaokuta Road, and it really helped a lot.”
Other Facebook users also shared harrowing testimonies:
Muhammed Halimat: “Na every year his trucks dey k!ll person for that Auchi😓😢.”
Queen Khinty: “You forgot Sharp Corner at Checkpoint, that was the spot they took someone very special to me😭.”
Zay Nab Oyiza: “This is suppose to go viral, few months back, what this same Dangote truck did in Ogaminana was very heart wrenching, many lives were lost and many became bedridden.”
Mary O. Samuel: “Only God knows the numbers of Kogi Poly students Dangote trailer don kpai.”
Oh Nyeh Tehh: “A lot of people were killed by these same truck especially during President Jonathan regime.”
Nimatu Onozasi: “Until e happen to influential people nobody dey talk. Thousands of lives have been loosed to Dangote trucks, but nobody talked.”
With the mounting pressure and growing social media campaign, many Nigerians are now demanding stricter regulations for heavy-duty trucks and urgent reforms in the operations of Dangote’s transport fleet.
