Two suspected university students have died after a tipper truck collided with a tricycle along the Tombia-Ammassoma road in Bayelsa State, leaving several passengers critically injured.
The accident took place near a sharp bend on the highway, an area known for poor road markings and frequent speeding. Eyewitnesses said the tipper truck lost control while descending the slope at high speed before smashing into the tricycle.
Daily Trust reported that Godspower Okolo, a trader in the area, said the tricycle had no chance of avoiding the collision. “The tipper was already too close. The dangerous impact left the tricycle damaged beyond recognition,” he said. Okolo added that Good Samaritans rescued the injured and transported them to the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa, while the bodies of the deceased were evacuated to a nearby morgue.
The trader called for stricter traffic enforcement, urging the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Bayelsa State Police Command to increase patrols, install speed breakers, and conduct regular safety checks on heavy-duty vehicles. Another resident, Mrs. Ebike Ekain, warned that without immediate intervention, more lives could be lost on the road.
About 15 accidents have occurred on the Tombia–Amassoma road in the past 18 months, most involving tipper trucks and commercial tricycles. Bayelsa Police spokesman DSP Musa Muhammad confirmed the incident and said investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the crash.
