Emmanuel Abbah, a young graduate of Physics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was on his way home from work in Abuja?s city centre when he was caught in the devastating auto crash that claimed numerous lives and left many vehicles burnt on Karu Bridge. Speaking from his hospital bed in this interview with DELE ANOFI, Abbah recalled his harrowing escape. With his wrist barely attached and a leg broken, he described his survival as nothing short of divine intervention.

How did you get involved in the accident?

I was coming from my office in the Central Area and boarded a private car at Central Mosque Junction with other passengers. It was a private car driven by someone returning from work who decided to pick up extra passengers. There were seven of us in the car, including the driver. There were two people with the driver in the front seat and four people in the back seat. We were all headed to Mararaba.

We ran into a traffic jam at the Kugbo Mechanic area, near Karu Bridge. It was a usual occurrence because of the diversion leading to Karu. In that hold-up, we heard a sound?a Dangote trailer carrying cement and bricks from behind was hitting the cars. The rest of us in the middle and front of the hold-up were thrown into panic. The drivers started looking for an escape route, and the atmosphere was chaotic.

In the midst of this, a gas tanker was in the middle of the traffic. Some cars, including the one I was in, were hit when my driver, in a bid to find a way out, ran under the tanker. That is how our vehicle was crushed. Other cars were also hit by the tanker, resulting in a fire outbreak.

Can you recall how the fire began?

Yes, my car caught fire before the tanker did. Because as our driver was trying to also find an escape route, we ran under a tanker and then we were also hit. Our car caught fire almost immediately. As the chaos subsided, our vehicle landed on one side, almost tumbling, and I struggled to get out. The car was already on fire before the tanker started burning as well. It took about five to ten minutes before the first explosion of the tanker occurred.

In the moment you were struggling to escape the fire, what was running through your mind?

Initially, I was thanking God for sparing my life, but I was terrified because I felt my life was running out. I felt the person next to me because I was in the middle. The person beside me on the left was not struggling or doing anything. He was lifeless already. The two people by my right were also not moving again; they were just there.

So, coming out, I practically fell out of the car because the door was closed. And coming out, I saw that I was the only one who came out. Then I saw the front door, the glass was broken. One person was also struggling to come out through the broken windshield. Seeing all this, I was conscious of the fact, and I was like wow, so this is how brief and how short life is; just in a twinkle of an eye, people are gone.

So the struggle was continuous until I could leave the scene. That was why I had to put a lot of energy to roll from that place, because my hand and my leg were already fractured coming out of the car, but I just did not give up. How God did it, I don?t know.

All I know is that He gave me that courage to continue to struggle to get out of the place with my broken arm and leg. Whenever I remember that our car ran under the trailer, caught fire and the truck exploded moments later, I just shudder.

That sounds horrifying. What happened next?

I finally managed to force my way out, even though my hand and leg were fractured. My broken left wrist was just hanging there. I struggled to cross the road and called for help. Passers-by eventually came, although many were reluctant due to the fire, and some were confused about who to help first.

I saw a man lying in a gutter, he was in the same car as me, and we became the only survivors in that vehicle, along with the driver. They tried to drop me in the gutter, but I begged them to help me cross the road to the other side. During that time, the first explosion occurred. They dropped me and ran for their lives.

After that, I continued to beg for help and one man eventually came to my aid and dragged me forward again. It was during this time that the second explosion occurred, and those that were running told me that one of the men that helped me earlier caught fire from the explosion and died. It was then I asked the man who was still with me to call my friends and family.

How did you eventually get rescued?

After I managed to go over the barrier, crossing the road became another challenge. The passersby were reluctant to come around because of the fire they saw. And some who were willing to come were confused. Who do they attend to first seeing people struggling to come out of the cars and then those of us who were sitting down or lying down begging for help? But eventually, some of the passersby helped me to cross the road.

About 10 minutes later, I heard sirens and saw the fire service and road safety officials arriving. My friends eventually came, and people began identifying and rescuing victims. I was carried close to the road and put into an ambulance. In the ambulance, they prioritised the living, leaving those who were beyond help. There was a conflict about which hospital to go to?Nyanya was blocked and Customs Hospital was feared to be overcrowded. Eventually, they agreed on National Hospital, and they rushed us there.

What was your experience at the National Hospital?

The treatment at National Hospital was good overall. Doctors and nurses were kind and caring, though the process was slow due to bureaucratic protocols. They asked who would be responsible for the bills, as they heard the government might cover some costs. I was informed that the hospital would discuss with management to fix a date for my surgery. Despite the delays, I appreciate the care I received.

What would you say about the response of the first responders to the accident scene?

Well, regarding the response of the road management authorities, I would say they can do better. But I cannot totally fault them or put the entire fault on them. This is because I could see with my eyes that day that the attitude of Nigerians is just totally strange. In a scene like this, you see some Nigerians who, instead of helping, people are just making videos to post. They were just not challenged, totally unconcerned and going about their things.

Again, as some good Samaritans were trying to help me cross the road, you could see people trying to speed past because of fire. They were not even slowing down to see if they could help victims of the accident. One of them almost even hit us, though the whole road was actually jam-packed. So, even if Road Safety, Fire Service or Police were to come quickly to respond, where would they follow?

So, in a chaotic situation such as this, you would see that it is not just the problem of the institutions; it is the Nigerian attitude. But they tried that night. They tried their best. Although the response was slow, I will not totally fault them, as I have said. In all of this, I give glory to God. If not for God, something worse would have happened.

Reflecting on the incident, what advice would you give to prevent such tragedies?

Do you know that the next day (Thursday, last week), another Dangote trailer carrying rice also fell on that road? Some of the victims were rushed here that same day and by Friday, one of them died. I believe that heavy-duty trailers and equipment should only move at night when fewer people are on the road. There was a policy to ensure they move at night or park by the roadside, but it was not enforced properly.

Our road users need education on how to behave in such emergencies so that panic does not cause more harm. Agencies must strictly enforce these regulations and educate drivers to prevent such tragedies.

All I can do is give all the glory to God. Without Him, something far worse would have happened. I hope the accident can help bring about changes to prevent such tragedies in the future. (The Nation)

Update news