BREAKING NEWS: Overloaded Truck Overturns on Enugu–Onitsha Expressway

The Enugu-Onitsha Expressway was thrown into chaos early Monday morning after a fully loaded truck overturned at the Umunya axis, spilling its cargo and completely blocking the major lanes for hours.

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Eyewitnesses told RoadKing.ng that the incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. when the truck driver allegedly lost control while descending the steep slope near Umunya due to brake failure.

The truck, carrying bags of cement and granite, skidded off its lane, toppled, and trapped a commercial tricycle and two motorcycles in its path.

Local commuters, who rushed to the scene, said the accident was caused by reckless overloading and poor vehicle maintenance, a recurring issue on Nigerian highways.

“The driver was struggling to control the truck; the brakes were clearly gone. He was shouting for people to clear the way. Before we knew it, the truck flipped and everything scattered,” said one witness, identified as Mr. Emeka, a motorist who narrowly escaped the crash.

The crash caused a massive traffic jam extending over five kilometers on both ends of the expressway.

Thousands of travelers heading toward Onitsha and Awka were stranded for hours, with many resorting to trekking past the scene as security and emergency responders struggled to clear the wreckage.

Officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the incident, stating that emergency clearance operations began immediately after arrival.

According to the Anambra State FRSC Sector Commander, Corps Commander Adewale Akinwande, “We have confirmed minor injuries, but no fatalities yet. Our men are working with tow operators to remove the overturned truck. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes to ease traffic pressure.”

The Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, one of Nigeria’s busiest trade corridors, has long been notorious for heavy truck traffic, overloading, and poor road maintenance.

Experts say these recurring accidents point to deeper problems, including weak vehicle inspection regimes, corruption in weighbridge enforcement, and the government’s failure to upgrade aging transport infrastructure.

A RoadKing.ng investigation earlier this year revealed that many long-haul trucks operating along the corridor often exceed their legal weight limit by over 40%, straining their braking systems and making them difficult to control on slopes.

“Truck drivers are under pressure to make deliveries faster, so they overload and skip maintenance. The roads are bad, but the trucks are worse,” said Engr. Tochukwu Eze, a transport safety consultant in Enugu.

Following the incident, the Anambra State Ministry of Works and Transport announced an urgent safety review along the Umunya–Awka stretch, promising to install new warning signs and speed-reduction measures.

Meanwhile, the FRSC has urged truck owners to conduct regular maintenance checks and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before putting them on highways.

“This is another avoidable tragedy,” said FRSC spokesperson Bisi Kazeem. “Lives and businesses are being endangered daily by negligent transport practices. We will intensify highway patrols and impound all overloaded trucks moving at night.”

As of press time, clearance operations were ongoing, with heavy-duty cranes brought in to remove the overturned truck and its scattered cargo.

RoadKing.ng Calls for Nationwide Enforcement of Truck Safety Protocols

This latest accident adds to the growing list of preventable road crashes in Nigeria involving articulated vehicles. RoadKing.ng calls for immediate national enforcement of the Truck Safety and Weight Compliance Directive and the establishment of Emergency Response Bays (ERBs) along major highways for quicker rescue and fire response.

Until truck owners, drivers, and authorities prioritize safety over profit, Nigeria’s highways will continue to claim lives and disrupt livelihoods.