Days after a truck exploded on Saturday at Eleyewo in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, the driver of the truck identified as Isiaka Yinusa has stated that he did not know that he was carrying explosives.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the driver, Yinusa is still recuperating from the surgery he undergone to remove shrapnels from his stomach as he was taken to hospital unconsciously.
The driver further disclosed that the last thing he heard was ‘everybody run’ before he became unconscious and woke up at hospital.
While speaking in an interview monitored by newsmen, Yinusa revealed that he was contacted by his boss to move some items from a stranded truck at Osu along Ife-Ibadan expressway.
He said they loaded the consignment and he was to deliver them to a company in Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The driver said that there was a police escort team and an official of the company where the explosives were to be delivered.
He said that when they got to Shasha market in Akure and the vehicle became faulty, they passed the night there.
Yinusa said he was sleeping inside the truck when one of the police escort told him that they should quickly leave the area because of the population, as smoke was emitting from the truck.
According to the driver, “I was sleeping inside the truck. I heard a bang on the door that smoke was coming out under the vehicle.”
“We quickly moved. The policeman that led the team said we should move ahead. As we were moving, the other policemen in the escort started flashing him that he should stop. As we got down, I saw fire emanating from the vehicle. We brought out a fire extinguisher.”
“Other drivers parked. They tried to assist. Suddenly the policemen shouted ‘everybody run, everybody run’. As I was running, I heard a bang and noticed something in my abdomen. That was all I could remember. I later woke up in hospital.”