Enugu metropolis was tension-soaked on Thursday as news filtered into town that a fully loaded commercial bus fell into the valley at Milikin Hill, Ngwo.

The news was followed with reports thatthe driver and unspecified number of passengers were burnt to ashes.

DAILY POST gathered that the incident occurred as operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were pursuing the driver for a yet to be identified offence.

Sources within the vicinity hinted that the NSCDC personnel, who were chasing the driver, shot at the vehicle, forcing it to slide away from the road. The commercial bus caught fire in the process, burning all the occupants.

It was gathered that only a female passenger, who was thrown off the vehicle, survived the accident. She is however, receiving treatment in an unknown hospital.

The incident gave rise to a tensed atmosphere as residents and commercial bus drivers mobilized in protest of the deaths.

Their attempt to take their protest to the NSCDC office located at the New Market Axis, few kilometres to the scene of the accident, was resisted by operatives of the corps.

They fired several shots to scare the protesters away. In the process, one of the bus drivers told journalists that the windscreen of his bus was shattered with bullets.

“We are still talking about the lives they snuffed out of several people few minutes ago and they are still baying for blood”, he said pointing at his shattered windscreen.

“Are they not supposed to be shooting in the air, or even use rubber bullets? But see what they have just done”, he said.

Our correspondent reports that the charged atmosphere was calmed as of the time of this report by the Enugug State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Dan Mallam.

The CP’s arrival saved the situation as commuters, including journalists, were all trapped as angry residents barricaded the Ngwo Road.

Speaking to journalists, the Police Commissioner described the incident as unfortunate, stressing that they would not allow anyone jeopardize the peace in Enugu State.

He said, “What happened is very unfortunate, especially with the peace we are enjoying. This kind of thing should not be allowed. That’s the reason why I am here. I have appealed to them, they should leave everything to us.

“Investigation has started, we asked them, people who witnessed what happened, they should come forward and give us discreet statement, which will help in our investigation. We are assuring them that whoever is involved is going to be brought to book.

“As far as I am concerned, these people you are seeing, they are the major stakeholders, if they are not here, I have no business being here; that’s why I left my office to come and appeal to them. The peace we are enjoying should be sustained.

“The incident that happened is unfortunate, but they should allow us to investigate; we have made some arrests; whoever is found culpable will be brought to book.”

On the female survivor, he said, “she is in our hospital, she is being treated in the hospital, life is first. I understood she is in stable condition. So, when she has fully recovered, she will tell us what she knows about the incident.”

When asked to give some clue on the possible cause of the accident, the police chief said, “the issue, what we heard is that they were pursuing the bus, I don’t know who is pursuing who, but investigation will reveal what happened. Who is pursuing who and for what reason. But we shall get to the root of the matter in order to give the public the assurance that nobody is above the law. We all know the consequences.”

Meanwhile, when contacted the spokesman of the NSCDC, Denny Manuel Iwuchukwu said no gun shot was fired on the commercial bus involved in the accident.

“We have a directive from the State Government that nobody should pick passengers along that road. So, when the driver stopped to pick passenger, our operative told him that it was wrong for him to do that.

“As our man entered the bus, he zoomed off with him. So, other officers on ground chased after him. In the process, the bus fell into the valley. We chased after the vehicle because he drove off with our man. However, not gunshot was fired”, he claimed.

Our correspondent reports that charred remains of some of the victims were taken to the Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre, Enugu, mortuary.

source
https://www.reportnaija.ng/2018/03/22/tension-in-enugu-as-nscdc-pursues-commercial-bus-into-valley-occupants-burnt-to-ashes/

Hmm... that milken hill axis is well avoided by drivers in enugu for the numerous snake like roads amidst very deep valleys.. 1912 constructed road by white men... RIP

and our useless senators want to add another useless para-military; PEACE CORPS Smh

You've tried it elsewhere and it seems not to work... Now come let's do it together. We teach, educate, sells tools. Just a click on my signature….. If you know, you know.

Wonders refuse to end, NSCDC KWA.... nawaoo

You see their lives
Their strength is only on civilians
Please send them all to Sambisa
Let them display their pursing prowess there.

rip to the dead

The country is moving forward. we should be thankful for what we see now.. 2019 will be better. RIP to the dead

buhari thank you for rejecting Peace Corps

Nawa o.
Some of Our security personnels lacks professionalism and some of the citizens on the other hand re not law abiding.
We need to be civilized.

Why was the driver running from them? Him carry Cannabis?

And yet ppl are still clamoring for peace corps!

Wanna create an assassin squad in Nigeria?

Just recruit a group of jobless youths into the any of the military or paramilitary outfit. Give them fully loaded rifles and watch them act like animals.

Uniform + Rifle = Wild Animals that love to suck human blood

so sad, because of change wey dy wan collect dy pursue then into d valley of death, same way APC is pursue Nigeria into the valley of recession and corruption

Nigerians and their mumu reactions. The driver shouldn't have run...its all his fault.

Worst case na to Roger them and now the lives lost can never be replaced. It's not an offence for a security outfit to chase anyone.

Useless people. Their own go worse pass Nigeria police

folahann:
Why was the driver running from them? Him carry Cannabis?

why dem pursue am?

I don’t know who is pursuing who, but investigation will reveal what happened. Who is pursuing who...
Imagine

ThinkSmarter:
Nawa o.
Some of Our security personnels lacks professionalism and some of the citizens on the other hand re not law abiding.
We need to be civilized.

True talk

Nigerian Armed forces dey kill innocent people... i conclude say make I gather money go america, na him I see news about their own police shooting a black guy 20 times.... Abeg where safe again for this world... I tire abeg

Civil Defence pursuing bus driver?? Every uniformed man jus wants to intimidate motorists... Road safety, Vio, police, army, lastma and even ordinary civil defence? What is their business on d roads with commercial tranporters for God's sake??

I don’t know who is pursuing who, but investigation will reveal what happened. Who is pursuing who...
Imagine such a statement

ogochukwu247:

Enugu metropolis was tension-soaked on Thursday as news filtered into town that a fully loaded commercial bus fell into the valley at Milikin Hill, Ngwo.

Oh my Miliki hill, oh mine.
Anyone who passes there for the first time
Must take the signpost seriously, which says
Repent Now, Jesus is Coming

Oh my 042

Oh my God! that bottomless miliken gorge. I drove passed that road two weeks ago and my whole body was trembling. How could the driver nah? I hate hearing or reading about the loss of lives.

I live few km away from where it happened... Could not go there cos of work. Heard different stories like.. The driver and the conductor jumped out from the vehicle and were unhurt, and that 3 people died from the fire, and again that 8 persons died and only three survived... Don't know the one that is true.

You can blame the NSCDC all you want, but the main culprit was the driver who instead of parking, chose to do a death run with numerous passengers in his bus.

NwaAmaikpe

Come and see your 042.

Enemyofpeace:
why dem pursue am?

why them go no purse am?

One thing I noticed about dis NL is that once the FTC make his/her points other build dia point on it. What dos Peace corps gat to do with dis news? Buhari has so much affected tdis nation sootey people now begin dey reason like monkey.
Why the driver dey if his not guilty

I don't understand how our security agents think.

I only imagine what will happen with lawmakers planning to allow FRSC officials to start using gun.

RIP to all of them




But I don't know what's wrong with some people (mostly commuters). How can you be running away from a frustrated Nigerian security personnel that is armed? Stay and listen to what he has to say.


He wants N50? Give it to him, cos refusal to give him that meagre N50 or N1k could be the end of your promising life.

Don't try to claim "RIGHT", give them what they want and go your way, cos those men in uniform got no chil.