Juliana Francis
The Anambra State Police Command has dispelled the rumour making the round that some northern truck drivers were attacked along Onitsha/Owerri Expressway, with most of their trucks set on fire.
According to the Anambra State Police Relations Officer (PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga, the arson was committed by armed robbers who got enraged because they could not find people to rob.
The incident was said to have happened on the 23rd of October 2022.
An earlier video circulated on social media alleged that the attack was a deliberate attack on northern drivers.
As the 2023 election draws closer, disinformation and misinformation have taken over the media space.
Speaking further on the incident, Ikenga said: “What happened along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway can best be described as an act of wickedness by these wicked criminal elements. It’s a reported case of arson and armed robbery. We got the report and our men quickly rushed to the scene. Vehicles not affected were recovered, but these criminal elements on that fateful day started shooting sporadically in an attempt to dispossess innocent citizens plying that road and out of fear, some of them escaped to unknown destinations, leaving their vehicles. When there was nobody to rob to collect valuables, the criminals set the vehicles ablaze.”
