By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia ReporterÂ
A MILITARY drill near Myoung Barracks in Lagos turned into chaos on Friday when a speeding car crashed into a column of soldiers, leaving at least 20 injured.
The incident, which occurred during an early morning exercise outside the barracks in Yaba, has sparked concerns over safety and the cause of the crash.
Eyewitnesses described the impact as devastating, with soldiers flung across the road.
“There was blood everywhere. I barely escaped because I was at the back,” said one of the trainees who survived the ordeal.
The vehicle, a battered Toyota carrying three occupants, was reportedly moving at high speed before losing control and ploughing into the marching soldiers.
One of the men inside the car fled immediately, while the remaining two were caught and severely beaten by an enraged crowd.
Witnesses at the scene suspect the driver was intoxicated, but authorities have yet to confirm this.
Following the crash, injured soldiers were rushed to the military hospital inside Myoung Barracks for urgent medical attention.
Some were seen limping outside the hospital, while their colleagues anxiously gathered in groups, discussing the tragic event in hushed tones.
Amid growing concern within the barracks, military sources have refrained from commenting on the possibility of fatalities.
Senior officers present at the scene declined to provide official statements, instead directing media inquiries to military headquarters.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or text messages at the time of filing this report.
The accident has sent shockwaves through the military community, with families of the affected soldiers desperately seeking information about their loved ones.
Soldiers and security personnel have tightened surveillance around the barracks as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Authorities have yet to determine whether the driver was under the influence or if the crash was a deliberate act. Meanwhile, the military remains on high alert as the case unfolds.
