By Caroline Ameh
A Nigerian author and father of three, Tochi Maduba Ejiofor, has called for urgent intervention and compensation from Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Ltd (SEEPCO) following a road crash he said nearly claimed the lives of his family.
Ejiofor said the incident occurred on August 1, 2026, as he, his wife and their three children were returning to Abuja from Anambra State after attending the burial of his father-in-law.
According to the author, the family was waiting at an Army checkpoint in Kogi State when a CNG truck, with registration number FZE-431IA, allegedly belonging to SEEPCO, crashed into the rear of their Honda Accord 2018.
He said the impact forced the vehicle off the road and into the bush, leaving the family trapped inside the damaged car.
“I am Tochi Maduba Ejiofor, a father, a husband, an author, and a law-abiding citizen of Nigeria,” he said, describing his appeal as a demand for justice, accountability and protection of his family’s dignity.
Ejiofor said passers-by and other people at the scene eventually rescued him, his wife and their three children from the wreckage.
He further alleged that some of the family’s belongings, including a laptop, mobile phones, cash and other personal effects, were either destroyed or went missing following the crash.
Author says family still receiving treatment
Ejiofor said he personally paid for the towing of the damaged vehicle, emergency medical treatment and other expenses resulting from the accident.
He added that members of his family had continued to receive medical treatment weeks after the crash.
The author said the financial burden had compounded the trauma suffered by the family and that he was seeking compensation for the vehicle, medical expenses, damaged or missing property and other costs arising from the incident.
Truck, driver allegedly released
Ejiofor also raised concerns about what he described as the handling of the CNG truck and its driver after the accident.
He alleged that while he was receiving medical attention, SEEPCO secured the release of the truck and its driver from Orakam Police Station without his knowledge or consent.
According to him, his damaged Honda Accord, however, remained impounded at the police station.
“Justice, it seems, moves swiftly for the powerful and not at all for the wounded,” he said.
Ejiofor said he had instructed his lawyer to demand an explanation from the police concerning the circumstances surrounding the alleged release of the truck and its driver.
He also claimed that representatives of the company initially acknowledged responsibility for the crash, alleging that the driver had acted recklessly and was at fault.
However, Ejiofor said subsequent efforts to obtain compensation for the destroyed vehicle, medical bills and other expenses had not yielded the desired outcome.
Author appeals to company leadership
Ejiofor appealed directly to the leadership of Sterling Global Nigeria Ltd to intervene, saying the company’s directors might not have been fully informed about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
He called on the company to replace his destroyed vehicle, compensate the family for damaged or missing belongings and settle expenses incurred as a result of the crash.
He warned that he would pursue legal and other lawful avenues if the matter was not resolved.
“I will not go and die. I will not fade quietly into the long list of ordinary Nigerians whose suffering is dismissed as the cost of doing business by foreign multinational companies,” he said.
The author said the incident had left his family traumatised and determined to seek accountability.
“I am prepared to pursue justice through every lawful channel available to me, for as long as it takes, whatever the cost,” he added.
The appeal comes as Ejiofor continues to seek compensation and accountability over the August 1 crash.
Media360Impact could not independently verify all the allegations contained in Ejiofor’s statement. SEEPCO’s response to the allegations was not included in the statement made available for this report.
