Tragedy struck along Enugu/Port Harcourt expressway in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State on Saturday as unidentified gunmen opened fire on two truck drivers at Ogi Junction, killing them and setting their vehicle ablaze. The attack, which occurred around 10:30 a.m., has sent shockwaves across the transport sector.
The victims, identified as Haruna Muhammad and Adamu Ibrahim, were transporting a full load of gari from Ayangade to Port Harcourt when the assailants struck. According to officials of the Imo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the gunmen are suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Dahiru Musa, Chairman of NURTW in Okigwe, narrated the grim details: “They blocked the road, opened fire on the drivers, burnt the truck along with the corpses.” He confirmed that both the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and soldiers had visited the scene, and that the bodies were evacuated and buried after funeral prayers on Monday.
Mahmud Jafaru, spokesperson for the NURTW Heavy Truck section in Jos, condemned the killings and expressed frustration over what he described as targeted violence against northern drivers. “Drivers from the North have become valued less than human beings. As long as you’re from the North, you don’t have rest of mind on these routes,” he said.
He urged federal and state governments to intervene decisively to prevent further loss of lives and property. "This is one too many. Government and security forces must act. Too many lives and trucks worth millions have been lost.”
Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, for a formal response proved unsuccessful.
The incident has renewed fears among northern truck drivers, especially in light of earlier protests held in Jos on March 2, 2025, where drivers decried what they described as recurring targeted attacks in the South East.
