Tragic pursuit: Police flee after chasing car conveying smuggled rice into accident
The car crashed into stationary vehicle
A camry car with registration number BC574-KWL loaded with some bags of rice has crashed into a stationed Kia cerato jeep vehicle with registration number KUJ-23MH in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital in an attempt to escape the police patrol van that was chasing it.
Eyewitnesses, one Edem Effiong and Charles Udo, who spoke with THE UPBEAT NEWSPAPER, said the police immediately fled on seeing that the camry car hit the parked vehicle.
The accident occurred on Tuesday’s afternoon at about 1pm around Nsikak Eduok Avenue (popularly known as 2 lanes) by Oron road traffic light.
The UPBEAT gathered that the police started the chase from Sacred Heart Parish, near Aka/Udo Udoma Avenue roundabout.
According to eyewitnesses, the Kia cerato jeep vehicle was stationed by the road side, opposite Imek Supermarket,178 Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo by the traffic light.
While thanking God that no life was lost as there were no bystanders at the time of the incident, they condemned the pursuit of the car by the police, saying that police should only engage in a vehicle chase only if the fleeing suspect committed a violent crime,such as murder,rape, armed robbery or kidnapping.
The man who was driving the camry car loaded with rice has hit his chest on the steering and was bleeding profusely from the mouth at the time of filling this report.
The owner of the parked vehicle, told the driver that he had sold the damaged car and that the buyer was to come by 5pm today, Tuesday, February 9, 2021 to pick the car.
He said he came to see his children around the area.
He is demanding the refund of the money he sold the car from the driver of the camry car.