A devastating accident on Monday afternoon claimed the lives of at least seven students of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) and their bus driver when an out-of-control truck rammed into a school shuttle filled with students.
The tragic incident, which occurred around 2:30 p.m., sent shockwaves across the university community. According to eyewitnesses, the ill-fated shuttle bus was set to convey students to campus when a heavily loaded articulated vehicle—carrying wood and jerrycans of palm oil—lost control and crashed into it with immense force.
“The driver of the truck lost control and rammed into the school shuttle bus, which was already filled with students. The impact was catastrophic, and the bus was completely crushed,” a source told SaharaReporters.
In the immediate aftermath, panic and grief engulfed the scene as students and bystanders rushed to aid victims. Officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) quickly arrived to rescue those trapped beneath the wreckage. However, the exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed.
Samuel Oyedeji, the Kogi State Sector Commandant of the FRSC, stated that several bodies had been deposited in the morgue for identification, while the injured were rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, and the Kogi State Specialist Hospital for urgent medical attention.
Angered by the tragedy, students of FUL launched a protest, demanding an immediate ban on the movement of heavy-duty trucks during the daytime. “This is not the first time reckless truck drivers have caused fatal accidents in this area. We can’t continue to lose our colleagues like this,” a protesting student lamented.
As the university community mourns the loss of its students, calls for stricter traffic regulations and improved road safety measures have intensified. Authorities are yet to release an official statement regarding the incident or potential legal actions against the truck driver and company responsible for the vehicle.
This tragedy adds to the growing concerns over road safety in Nigeria, particularly the dangers posed by reckless truck drivers. Many hope this latest incident will serve as a wake-up call for both the state and federal governments to take decisive action in preventing further avoidable deaths.
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