A survivor of Wednesday’s tragic accident at Mabushi Bridge, Abuja, has spoken out, revealing details about the events that led to the crash which claimed the lives of a couple and two suspected touts, commonly known as agberos.
The survivor, identified only as Mike, explained that he worked as a transport union enforcer, tasked with ensuring that commercial drivers purchased daily tickets before picking up passengers.
“My name is Mike, the surviving agbero in the Mabushi accident that killed the couple. I live in Gwagwalada but I work in the city. My job is to make sure every commercial vehicle buys a ticket before they pick up passengers. If they don’t buy, we stop them. If they refuse, we follow them,” he said from his hospital bed.
Recounting the events, Mike alleged that the accident occurred after he and two colleagues attempted to stop a private driver who had picked up passengers without purchasing the required ticket.
“I attended to the vehicle because the man attempted to pick up passengers without purchasing a daily ticket. I entered the vehicle to direct him to our office at Vandees but the man refused to stop. He started driving fast. Before I knew it, there was an accident. My leg and hands are broken. The couple and my two fellow agberos that entered the car died. Since yesterday, nobody from the union has checked on me,” he lamented.
Mike also shed light on how the proceeds from ticket sales were allegedly shared within the union, raising concerns about accountability.
“When we collect money, we give it to our chairman. They say it’s for buying more tickets and ID cards. From the N7,000 ticket sales, we give our chairman N3,000 while we share N4,000. I regret joining them. If something happens to anyone, you won’t see any of our leaders. I regret entering that car.”
The accident, which sparked outrage among residents, has reignited debate about the activities of touts and informal transport enforcers in Abuja, and the lack of regulation surrounding their operations.
Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the incident or on possible investigations into the role of transport unions in the tragedy.
