Peacemaker falls into the road of speeding truck by A fighter push......SEE PHOTO

imeh and the victim

A very horrible incident struck on Limca Road in the Iyana Isolo area
of Lagos State on Thursday after a speeding truck crushed a warehouse
driver to death.
Firstclass newsline learnt that the driver, identified as Rafiu Baale,
was pushed into the path of the truck by a tricycle driver, Imeh
Matthew, during an affray.
It was learnt that Imeh and his brother were in the tricycle when a
car driver bashed it.
They were said to have stopped in front of the warehouse, where the
incident happened, to challenge the car owner.
The action created gridlock, forcing the manager of the warehouse to
intervene. He asked the warring parties to vacate the company's gate
area.
Firstclass newsline was told that the deceased, who was a driver with
the company, also came out and joined in the call for calm.
However, as the affray and the peace making continued, the tricycle
driver was alleged to have pushed Baale to the road and he was crushed
to death by a speeding truck.
The matter was said to have been reported at the Answani Police
Station, and the truck driver, Aliu Salisu, and the tricycle driver,
Imeh, were arrested.
Twenty-five-year old Imeh told firstclass newsline that he acted in
self-defence and had no intention of killing the victim.
He said on the day of the incident, he had parked his tricycle at a
junction to eat, adding that it was while returning in his younger
brother's tricycle that the incident happened.
He said, "I am a tricycle driver and I ply Iyana Isolo to Jakande
Estate route every day. I have been driving for the past five years.
"On Thursday, last week, I was in my brother's tricycle when a car hit us.
"I came down with my brother to challenge the man.
"It was while doing this that the manager of the company emerged from
somewhere and asked why we were making a noise.
"I was about explaining to him when he slapped me. I wanted to talk
and he slapped me again.
"He said we should leave the place. Then the driver of the car that
bashed us also started struggling with me.
"They all came out from the company and were holding and pulling me.
It was when I wanted to defend myself that I mistakenly pushed the
man."
It was learnt that the truck driver crushed the victim and unknowingly
dragged him on the road.
Salisu, 29, said it was his conductor that called his attention to the incident.
He said, "I am a school dropout. I have been driving for the past
seven years. I have a driving licence, which expired in December,
2014.
"On that day, I was going to Auchi with some goods.
"When I got to Aye bus stop on Iyana Isolo Road, a policewoman ordered
me to stop and I did.
"When she cleared me to go, I also obeyed. My eyes were on her. I did
not know they were fighting around that area.
"It was after I had moved that my conductor started shouting that I
should stop. That was when I knew what had happened."
It was learnt that the victim did not die on the spot.
He was said to have been rushed to a hospital, but died on the way. He
was confirmed dead in the hospital.
The uncle of the suspect, Emmanuel Udoh, urged the police to
thoroughly investigate the matter, saying he believed his cousin was
not to blame for the victim's death.
Udoh said Imeh was overwhelmed by the crowd that surrounded him and it
was in a bid to free himself that Baale died.
He said, "I believe the police can do a good job in this case.
"All those who witnessed the incident testified to the fact that the
security guards around that place and some other people there confused
him.
"It was during that confusion that the man was crushed to death."
He described Imeh as a hard working man, who had no criminal record
before he was brought to Lagos from the village in Cross River.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said the matter
had been transfered to the Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.
Firstclassnewsline.net