According to Odumegwu, the Ministry's Public Relations Officer, the tricycle driver was initially stopped for a traffic offence.
The Enugu State Ministry of Transport has denied allegations that its Vehicle Inspection Unit officers were responsible for the death of a tricycle rider.
According to Odumegwu Chinwendu, the Ministry's Public Relations Officer, claims circulating on social media about the incident are completely false.
This rebuttal comes after a viral video surfaced online, showing a tricycle rider lying lifeless following an incident involving a VIO Marshal who was allegedly chasing the rider. The video also shows a young female VIO officer badly injured in her right leg.
The Ministry said the incident occurred on October 24, 2024, at WAEC Junction.
According to Odumegwu, the Ministry's Public Relations Officer, the tricycle driver was initially stopped for a traffic offence. However, things took a bad turn when a Ministry official entered the tricycle and directed the driver to head to the nearby Ministry of Transport office. In a panic, the driver sped off, causing the tricycle to somersault and resulting in the accident.
"Both the driver and the VIO official were thrown off. While the VIO official was seriously injured and hospitalized, the driver pretended to be dead but was uninjured," she said.
She noted that when the authorities, led by State Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer Mr. Val Chime, arrived at the scene, they saw the driver who had reportedly pretended to dead, fleeing the scene.
"The matter has been reported to the police, and an investigation is underway," she noted.
Corroborating the PRO, the Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer, Mr Val Chime, stated that it was a VIO official who sustained bruises and a fracture in the accident.
Chime said the injured official was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she has been receiving treatment.
The Chief VIO explained that when he got to the scene, the tricycle rider immediately stood up and fled with his tricycle.
He advised the public to disregard the report circulating on social media regarding the incident, noting that nobody died.
"I advise motorists to always be law-abiding, respectful, and cooperative with all law enforcement agents in the state and beyond," he appealed, noting that the accident wouldn't have happened if the driver had not tried to speed off.
Meanwhile in the video circulating online, a message attached to the video reads: "VIO officers chased Keke in Enugu and got involved in a terrible accident.
"One officer died, the other rushed to a nearby hospital, while the lady officer was in a mess.”