Truck crushes boy, 7, to death in Bayelsa

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A sand-laden truck has crushed a seven-year-old boy, identified as Prosper Eta, to death in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

It was learnt that the incident occurred on Wednesday about 12.10pm on Goodnews Street, in the Azikoro area of the state capital.

Eta was said to be running an errand for his mother when he met his death.

The deceased, who lived in the area, was reportedly trying to cross the road to deliver a pack of nylon bags to a fish seller across the road when the accident occurred.

An eyewitness, who identified himself only as James, said the victim while crossing the road suddenly became aware of an approaching speeding truck, which he tried to dodge, but was eventually knocked down.

James said, “I just dropped a passenger and was trying to make a U-turn to the side of the road where the boy was standing.

“I sighted the truck, but the boy crossed the road. It was too late before he noticed the vehicle because the truck was already close to him.

“The truck driver also saw him late because he tried to apply emergency break. Unfortunately, the driver’s effort was not enough. It was a gory sight because the tore open the stomach of the boy.”

The fish seller, Pere, said the deceased was sent to give her a pack of nylon bag when the incident happened.

“It was shocking. I saw him die. He was asked to bring a pack of nylon bags to me and he was trying to cross the road when the truck crushed him,” she said.

She advised parents to be mindful of the kind of errands they send their little children especially in areas known to have high traffic.

It was learnt that a patrol team of the police later took the remains of the deceased to an undisclosed mortuary.

The driver of the truck was said to have run to a nearby police station to avoid being attacked by an angry mob.

Calls to the mobile phone of the spokesman, Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, were unsuccessful as they indicated that it was not reachable.

Source: Punch