Many are feared dead in Anambra State following a fatal crash that occurred between the officers of the Anambra State Anti-Touting Squad (popularly known as SASA) and a tipper driver.
The crash reportedly occurred on Friday, following an alleged attempt by the SASA officers to block the tipper driver, both from behind and from the front.
The incident occurred along the Onitsha—Oba Expressway, Idemili South Local Government Area of the State.
This was corroborated by a video currently trending on social media, showing two crashed vehicles of SASA officers at the front and the back of the tipper, as well as the lifeless bodies of some of the victims.
Some of the eyewitnesses who spoke in the video were heard raining curses on the SASA operatives, describing them as the problem they are facing in Onitsha.
Some were also heard alleging that it was some youths who killed some of the SASA men who survived the crash.
Others who were empathic over the situation appealed to the state government to devise another means of enforcement instead of the present pattern that endangers the lives of its operatives.
Reacting to the development, a social affairs analyst, Dr Uche Nworah, described the death of the SASA men as unfortunate.
According to him, Oba axis has become notorious for a lot of negative occurrences.
“What’s the gain in youths taking the law into their hands and wasting the lives of fellow human beings? This is condemnable.
“That axis has been in the news a lot lately for the wrong reasons. Kidnappings, demolitions and killings. It’s turning into an axis of evil,” he noted.
Nworah also frowned at what he described as the crude method of tax collection in Anambra State, likening it to what was obtained in Abia State many years ago.
“The crude method of tax collection in Anambra state using ‘Ndi ako odo’ (SASA men) reminds me of ‘Ndi afo ato’ in Aba back in the day.
“Tax collectors in Aba then had their own peculiar crude way of collecting taxes. That’s why Aba residents named them ‘Ndi afo ato’ (3 years people).
“They will accost you on the way and ask you, ‘Enyi, elee afo ato gi (my friend, where is your three years’ tax?’.
“Taxable adults were expected back then to always have their 3 years tax clearance with them,” Nworah recalled.
