Mother of five blames A/Ibom taskforce for husband’s death
A34-year-old mother of five has accused the Compliance and Monitoring team of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Transport and Petroleum for killing her husband.
Ekaette Akaniyene, the pregnant wife of slain tricycle driver, Akaniyene Nnonno, said yesterday in Uyo that her husband’s untimely death had truncated the future they planned for their children and left her stranded.
She said her husband, an indigene of Ikot Edung in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of the state, was knocked down by some ticket sellers chasing an Akwa-Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus driver.
“Shortly after dropping off my daughter and some goods, I called my husband to bring to me in the market, my husband’s friend came and informed me that my husband had an accident.
“We were initially informed he was taken to TOAN office. When we got there, I was handed his torn shirt and wallet, but he was not there.
“We were later directed to the Police Station, Itam, and when we got there, we were told that he had been taken to the hospital, and that we should wait for the DPO.
“We waited till the man finally arrived hours later. He informed me that my husband was dead. I have not been allowed to see his corpse, but they told me that he was hit on the chest and forehead and that he was taken to one mortuary along Atiku Abubakar Way.
“I don’t know how to start or continue my life from here; we were struggling together to care for his children, now look at my condition, look at the hardship their reckless attitude is putting me and my children through,” she lamented.
Narrating how the deceased died, the state chairman of Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), Effiong Effiong, said he died along Urua Ekpa road while bending by the side of the road to fix a fault in his Keke (tricycle).
He said the Compliance and Monitoring Task Team was chasing an AKTC driver who was trying to flee after knocking down the tricycle rider by the side of the road.
Effiong said the association has been liaising with the Ministry of Transport and Petroleum to get assistance to the bereaved family, and promised to ensure that the pregnant widow is well catered for. He said the bus driver has been arrested by the police.
Akwa-Ibom state’s commissioner for Transport and Petroleum, Orman Esin, described the incident as an accident. He said, “What happened was an accident involving a driver, members of our team and the victim. We have met with the bereaved family and we have discussed on how to assist them and everyone is satisfied and happy.”
When contacted, the state police spokesman, DSP McDon Odiko, promised to confirm any arrest in connection with the case, but was yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.
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