Speeding vehicle kills herder, 11 cattle in Rivers crash
A herder and 11 cattle were killed when a speeding Mercedes-Benz crashed into the herd crossing the East-West Road in Rivers State.
A yet-to-be-identified herder and 11 cattle were killed when a Mercedes-Benz car crashed into a herd crossing the East-West Road at Evekwu in Rumuodogu, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State. Residents said the speeding vehicle rammed into the herd, killing the herder and the cattle.
The occupants of the vehicle, who were reportedly travelling in a convoy, abandoned the damaged car, joined another vehicle and fled the scene. Police operatives from the Emohua Division evacuated the body of the deceased to the mortuary, while an injured herder was taken to hospital for treatment.
The police spokesperson for Rivers State, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, confirmed the incident and said an investigation was ongoing. “One of them died. The other was injured and was rushed to the hospital. He is now stable,” Kaborlo said. “However, before our men got to the scene, the owner of the Mercedes-Benz had ran away.”
The incident is a grim reminder of the dangers posed by speeding vehicles on Nigeria’s highways. The East-West Road is a major corridor, and the presence of cattle crossing the road is a common hazard. The driver’s decision to flee rather than face the consequences is a troubling reflection of the culture of impunity on Nigerian roads.
This echoes the 2022 road accident in Ogun State, where a speeding vehicle killed several cattle and injured the herder. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a preventable tragedy that highlights the need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws.
The winners: none. The losers: the family of the deceased herder; the owner of the cattle, who lost 11 animals; and the Nigerian road safety system, which has failed to prevent such incidents.
Bottom Line: A speeding vehicle has killed a herder and 11 cattle in Rivers. The driver fled the scene. The police are investigating. The question is whether the driver will ever be caught.