By Chioma Onuegbu & Dennis Udoma

Uyo—TWO policemen and one civilian were confirmed dead in a road accident that involved Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere, along Ikot Abasi-Uyo Road, yesterday morning.

It was gathered that the two policemen, whose identities were not disclosed were attached to Ekere’s convoy.

Vanguard gathered that the accident occurred when a tanker rammed into the convoy’s pilot vehicle .

Confirming the incident in a statement yesterday, the Director, Corporate Affairs, NDDC, Mr. Toye Abosede, said: “The incident, along the Calabar-Itu Road, occurred when a trailer ran into the pilot vehicle carrying policemen attached to the NDDC Managing Director, who was on his way to Calabar to receive the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.”

Many of the accident victims, who sustained serious injuries, were reportedly rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.

An Uyo resident, who spoke to Vanguard, said: “You need to see the crowd at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital today (yesterday). I was at the hospital around 12 noon and I did not understand what was happening, but I saw so many policemen and doctors at the emergency unit. I later learned that some police officers died in a motor accident. It is a pity.”

Contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chukwu Ikechukwu, confirmed that the two police officers and a civilian died in the accident, adding that the report available to him was that the accident occurred along Ikot Abasi-Uyo road.

Ikechukwu said he will speak more once he gets details of how the accident happened.

He said: “The information we received from the DPO of Ikot Abasi was that the accident occurred along Ikot Abasi-Uyo Road in the early hours of this morning (yesterday) and that two policemen and a civilian died. The injured have been taken to UUTH.”