Cement Truck Crash Kills Pregnant Woman and Others

On Wednesday evening in the university town of Akungba‑Akoko (Akoko South-West LGA, Ondo State), a pregnant woman, a mother and her child were among at least eight people killed when a cement-laden truck crashed. According to official reports, the crash involved a vehicle travelling from Obajana in Kogi State and occurred near the main entrance of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba‑Akoko (AAUA) and the well-known Holy Trinity Church.  

Local sources say the truck, belonging to or carrying bags from Dangote Cement, allegedly suffered a brake failure before careening into traders and other road users in a populated segment of the town.  

Anger ran high at the scene. Some residents pointed the finger at the removal of a roadblock that had been set up to keep heavy trucks out of this neighbourhood. One source said:

“Some boys in the community had been using the barricade erected to extort N10,000 from the truck drivers before allowing them to pass through. The government turned a blind eye.” 

The state commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Samuel Ibitoye, confirmed the incident and gave initial figures:

“The deceased persons include five males, two females and one child. The truck ran into a barricade in front of AAUA and lost control, resulting in the crash.”  

As of press time, rescue workers were still clearing the scene and the full death toll may yet change.  

This crash speaks to broader issues: heavy-vehicle safety in built-up areas, road infrastructure (like barricades) being ignored or mis-used, and community vulnerabilities around university towns.

• The fact that the truck was carrying cement (which means heavy load, likely steep descent or incline) and allegedly had brake failure raises questions about maintenance and route planning.
• The neighbourhood had a barricade intended to protect residents, but local reports suggest it was being manipulated or rendered ineffective.
• This is not an isolated incident: the town and that road stretch have seen multiple fatal crashes in the past, meaning the risk was known.