From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
A tragic incident occurred yesterday afternoon at Mabushi Bridge, Abuja, when a family of four lost their lives in an accident allegedly caused by suspected touts, popularly known as Agberos.
According to witnesses, the touts operating under the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) reportedly chased after the driver of a grey Honda SUV.
They caught up with him and forcibly entered the vehicle, dragging the steering wheel while it was on motion.
The struggle caused the SUV to crash into one of the pillars of the popular Bannex Bridge.
The crash claimed the lives of the driver, his wife, and their two children.
Officials of the AMAC VIO were later seen evacuating the wreckage from the scene.
Enraged by the tragedy, residents of the area descended on the suspected touts. Three of them were beaten, doused with fuel, and set ablaze in a mob attack captured in videos now circulating on social media.
A witness, who condemned the activities of touts in Abuja, said:
“The harm caused by these Agberos on the streets of Abuja is too much and should not be tolerated again. They are sometimes supported by the police, which is unconstitutional. I have lost two friends in a similar manner. The fact that some people think their activities should be allowed is wrong. They should leave the FCT and return to their states.”
The tragic development has sparked outrage among Abuja residents, many of whom callee on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to urgently abolish the activities of AMAC touts across the capital city.
Efforts to reach the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) of the Nigeria Police, DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, for official comments on the incident proved abortive as he did not respond to our calls.
