On the way back from Port Harcourt, having supervised the unloading of the Supacom building packs, Malcolm was travelling in the front of the site managers Volvo car. The car had stopped ready to turn left into the STC satellite camp at Oturkpo when it was struck from behind by a car travelling at speed.

Staff in the camp heard the collision and immediately came out. They recognised the car and told the occupants to remain where they were until escorted into the camp. The reason for this was that any accident involving non-African personnel could cause reprisal such as stoning. The staff took the site manager and his colleague into the camp first of all, leaving Malcolm with the dazed driver. A large crown gathered immediately, having come from a seemingly empty area.

The staff soon returned to collect Malcolm and the driver. The non-African staff were hidden away at the back of the camp until the police had been and gone away again. On seeing expats, they may well have demanded "dash" which, if not paid immediately they would have jailed them awaiting payment. Malcolm was uninjured but the manager sustained damage to a finger for which he had to have treatment some days later. He always travelled in the back of the car as he was aware of the dangers on the roads in Nigeria.

The vehicle that ran into the back of the STC car was an unregistered taxi with probably eight or more occupants. The driver ran off into bush and was not found however, it later transpired that two of the occupants died and the driver was caught and jailed.