A tragic accident occurred yesterday along Airport Road, directly opposite the Customs Barracks in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, claiming the life of a young man in a horrifying manner.
The incident took place in the afternoon at about 2:00pm on Saturday 3rd of May 2025, involving a tipper truck loaded with sand.
The victim, who was a passenger on a commercial tricycle commonly known as “Keke”, reportedly dropped his mobile phone while in motion but in a desperate attempt to retrieve the phone, he disembarked from the moving tricycle and stooped to pick it up and tragically, at that very moment, a tipper truck driving against traffic—commonly referred to as “one way”—due to an ongoing road construction project, ran over the young man.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as harrowing, noting that the impact crushed the victim’s head beyond recognition, leading to his immediate death as many onlookers were left in shock and horror, as passersby quickly gathered around the accident site.
“It happened so fast,” said one resident who witnessed the event. “The young man just wanted to pick his phone, but the tipper, which was not supposed to be on that side of the road, hit him instantly. His head was completely crushed. It was a very painful sight.”
The tipper truck was found abandoned on the road following the incident, with the driver nowhere to be found. However, unconfirmed reports suggest that the driver may have fled to a nearby police station to report the accident, a move interpreted by many as an attempt to avoid mob justice.
As of the time of filing this report, the identity of the victim was yet to be confirmed, and efforts are ongoing to locate and apprehend the driver for further investigation.
Residents of the area are calling on relevant government agencies and traffic regulatory bodies to increase monitoring and enforce stricter traffic rules, especially in construction zones where detours and roadblocks are becoming common. Many are also urging the Delta State Government to accelerate the completion of road projects to prevent further loss of life.
It was also reported that a young man lost his life just two days ago after falling into a ditch along the same road, mistakenly thinking it was a pile of sand.
