Fear grips Onitsha residents as truckload of live bullets falls

Residents of the commercial city of Onitsha Anambra State have been gripped with fear, following the fall of a truck loaded with live bullets in the area.

Nation Newspapers reported that the Mercedes Benz 911 truck, which fell along Awka road in the city in the early hours of Sunday, had the cartons of the bullets spill into the drainage when it skidded off the road.

The contents made early morning worshippers raise the alarm, which attracted the presence of heavy security men who cordoned off the arena

An eyewitness, who does not want to be mentioned, told The Nation the security situation had put everyone on the alert.

It was gathered the truck was moving the goods out of Onitsha to a yet-to-be-identified location when the driver lost control and skidded off the road, making it fall into a ditch.

Another source said the truck fell around 5 am when the driver and his conductor, after sustaining minor injuries, tried to evacuate and conceal the contents.

“But they could not do much before daybreak when some police operatives arrived the accident scene only to discover the truck was laden with a consignment of live bullets,” a source said.