Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Enugu State Police Command has launched a manhunt for a yet-to-be-identified driver who, in a horrific hit-and-run incident on Wednesday morning, killed two men at Airport Corner in Emene, Enugu East Local Government Area, and sped away without stopping to render assistance to his victims. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. on August 12, 2026, when the driver, who was reportedly travelling from Emene towards Enugu city centre, lost control of his vehicle while negotiating the notorious corner at excessive speed, according to a Punch report.
Eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing picture of the tragedy. One of the victims had been repairing his vehicle after it developed a fault and had gone to a nearby mechanic workshop to obtain tools. He was returning the tools after fixing his car when the speeding driver rammed into him at the corner. The impact killed him instantly and severed one of his legs. The driver then continued at high speed and struck another man, who also died on the spot. An eyewitness, Olivia Sandra, described the scene: "After he finished fixing the car, he was about to return the tools to the workshop when a very reckless driver knocked him down at excessive speed as he entered the corner. He was killed instantly and one of his legs was cut off. He also knocked another person down, killing two of them instantly, and zoomed off".
Another witness said the driver did not stop to check on the victims but continued towards the Airport Roundabout at high speed, where he allegedly nearly hit other road users. The vehicle was reportedly travelling from the Emene axis towards Enugu city centre at the time of the crash.
The Enugu State Police Command confirmed the tragedy. The command's spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said, "A hit-and-run driver killed two people, all male, and ran away. The police have a report of the incident and investigation is ongoing to track down the driver". He added, "The incident happened in Emene by Airport Corner and the police have a report of the incident and investigation is ongoing to track down the driver".
The fatal crash comes barely days after the command ordered the immediate enforcement of traffic laws across the state. The directive followed what the police described as the rampant disregard for traffic regulations by motorists, which they said had contributed to traffic congestion, road crashes, loss of lives and destruction of property. The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, issued the directive in compliance with an order by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for nationwide enforcement of traffic laws. The enforcement is expected to cover all existing traffic laws and regulations across the state.
The incident has also renewed concerns over road safety in Enugu State, which has witnessed a series of fatal hit-and-run accidents in recent months. Last month, a hit-and-run driver killed a police inspector, Dr Ikechukwu Obodo, near the Government House in Enugu. Weeks after that incident, police are yet to announce the arrest of the driver involved, while members of his family alleged that he was knocked down by a vehicle in a convoy belonging either to the state governor or a prominent person in the state.
The Airport Corner axis of Emene has a grim history of road accidents. In February 2026, a Nigerian Air Force patrol vehicle rammed into two commercial minibuses near a military checkpoint along the same axis, killing six people. The driver was reportedly driving under the influence of drugs at the time. The recurring tragedies at this location have raised urgent questions about road safety and the enforcement of traffic regulations in the state.
As the police continue their manhunt for the driver, the families of the two victims are left to mourn their loved ones. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the consequences of reckless driving and the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws to prevent further loss of lives on Nigeria's roads.
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