Irate villagers from Asaa Community in Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, have gone on rampage, destroying several cars, including other valuables, following the killing of two villagers by a truck working for Assa North Ohaji (ANOH) Gas Joint Project.
The deceased, Johnmark Rufus and Friday Amadi, engineering staff of Lee Engineering Company, contracted to construct the gigantic gas project, were on a motorcycle going to work when they were crushed to death by the truck at Amnesty Junction, Asaa Community
Africa Update gathered that the accident was caused as a result of thick smokes from a bush fire around the scene of the accident, which prevented the driver of the truck and the motorcyclist from seeing each other at the sharp bend as they rammed into each other, leaving the two occupants of the bike dead on the spot.
They were said to also set three trucks belonging to the company ablaze, smashed other cars and office equipment within the company.
Some others were said to have looted the company’s property and office equipment. Assa North-Ohaji South Gas Processing is owned and managed by Seplat and the Nigerian Gas Co, a unit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp to develop, build, operate and maintain the gas plant in Imo State.
The source, who is a vigilante operative in the area, added that the incident caused tension in the area as the company alerted soldiers who tried in vain to repel the invaders.
The source further disclosed that when the soldiers shot several persons, the others fled the scene with their motorcycles, leaving the injured in the pool of their own blood.
It took the intervention of a senior police officer in the area to get the severely injured persons treated in the hospital.
The crisis forced the company to shut down while an unofficial curfew was imposed on the community, as according to the villagers, those seen between 7pm and 6 am were dealt with by the soldiers, who patrolled the villages.
