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An articulated vehicle conveying flour rammed into shops at Utu Etim Ekpo, the headquarters of Etim Ekpo local government area of Akwa Ibom State, killing three persons while four others sustained varying injuries.

A resident of the area, Gabriel Akpan, said the unfortunate incident occurred at about 8 pm on Monday.

Akpan narrated that the truck driver was fleeing from personnel of the Nigeria Army who mounted a roadblock at Nkwot Ikot Ebo portion of the Iwukem – Etim Ekpo – Abak Road.

“The truck loaded with flour was coming from the Iwukem axis of the road towards Abak and was flagged down by soldiers mounting roadblock at Nkwot Ikot Ebo, but the driver refused to stop.

“The soldiers then pursued and overtook, but the driver again refused to stop. The soldiers scampered away as the truck continued with speed towards and descended the slope towards the roundabout, but couldn’t navigate away with speed,” Akpan said.

Another resident, Eno Umanah, a motorcyclist around the council secretariat, told Leadership that the truck driver lost control of the steering because of the speed to escape the soldiers.

“The driver then lost control and veered off the road into several makeshift shops by the motor park, and crashed, killing the unsuspecting victims suddenly,” Umanah narrated.