It was a gory scene in Anambra State as a very fatal crash occurred between the officers of the Anambra State Anti-Touting Squad (popularly known as SASA) and a tipper driver, who is yet to be identified.
The crash reportedly occurred on Friday, January 31, following an alleged attempt by the SASA officers to block the tipper driver, both from behind and from the front.
It was further reported that the incident occurred along the Onitsha—Oba Expressway, Idemili South Local Government Area of the State.
This was corroborated by a video currently trending on social media, showing two crashed vehicles of SASA officers at the front and the back of the tipper, as well as the lifeless bodies of some of the victims.
A short write-up that accompanies the video reads: “Happening now at Oba. ANTI TOUT trying to block a Tipper from front and back. This is the resultant effect.”
When contacted by this reporter, the Sector Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Anambra State, promised to get back with details of the incident, which is yet to be received as of the time of filing this report.
Conflicting reports have also emerged following the violent clash. While initial accounts suggested that the officers were involved in a fatal crash while attempting to block a tipper, SASA’s spokesperson, Karen James, has provided a different version, alleging that the officers were deliberately ambushed and killed.
According to James, the SASA team was carrying out an enforcement operation in a tipper garage in Oba, an area she described as a hub for criminal activities, including armed robbery and drug dealings. She dismissed claims that SASA officers attempted to block a tipper on the expressway, insisting that they were on official duty when the drivers attacked them.
“As soon as our officers arrived at the garage, they were surrounded by armed tipper drivers who launched a coordinated attack,” James stated. “The SASA men were not there to block any vehicle but to enforce the law. The claim that they were stopping tippers on the expressway is a blatant lie.”
Eyewitness reports cited by James indicate that the officers attempted to escape when the situation became hostile. However, the drivers allegedly blocked all exit routes and deliberately rammed their tippers into the officers, killing five on the spot. Six others sustained severe injuries and were rushed to the hospital, while four remain missing.
James further alleged that the tipper drivers carried out the attack to recover items previously confiscated during SASA’s operation. She claimed that after ensuring the officers were dead, the assailants fled the scene.
Security agencies have since launched a manhunt for those responsible, with authorities vowing to bring them to justice. Meanwhile, the incident has sparked widespread outrage, with residents calling for increased security and a crackdown on criminal activities in the Oba area.
James urged anyone claiming that SASA was targeting tipper drivers to come forward with evidence, emphasizing the need for public cooperation in the ongoing investigation:
Oba Deadly Clash: Our Officers Were Ambushed, Deliberately Killed by Tipper Drivers – SASA Spokesperson
