By Josephine Nwachukwu
The harvest of deaths remains a puzzle for the Federal University Lokoja, FUL, and the Kogi State Government, going by the incessant accidents and fatalities involving articulated vehicles around the capital city.
The frequency of these tragedies has not only instilled fear among students and residents but has also raised concerns about road safety measures and regulatory enforcement in Lokoja.
A city struggles with fatal accidents
Lokoja, a bustling transit hub linking northern and southern Nigeria, has gained a reputation not just for its strategic location but also for its high incidence of road accidents.
The city’s major highways, particularly the Abuja-Lokoja Road and the ever-busy Felele axis, have become notorious death traps, with articulated trucks frequently losing control and ramming into unsuspecting victims.
One of the most recent and heartbreaking tragedies occurred on 17th February 2025, when a timber-laden truck, allegedly due to brake failure, collided with a shuttle bus carrying students at the Federal University Lokoja.
The impact was fatal, claiming the lives of five students and two other passengers. Witnesses described a gruesome scene of mangled bodies and wreckage, painting a picture of yet another avoidable catastrophe.
“I was just behind the bus when I saw the truck coming at full speed. The driver screamed, but there was no escape. Within seconds, everything turned into chaos,” narrated an eyewitness who narrowly escaped the accident.
The victims, identified as Sehaye Temidayo Emmanuel, Habibaru Ohunene Shaibu, Ajagbona Lolade, Waheed Afeez Omobolaji, and Sarah Etiosa Ojei, met a premature death on a road they travelled daily to pursue their education. Their loss triggered widespread grief and anger within and beyond the university community.
Recurring nightmares for students
For students of FUL and Kogi State Polytechnic, the fear of stepping out onto the streets has become a daily reality. The recent accident was not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing trend. A week after the tragic student crash, two trailers collided in Felele, but no casualties occurred.
On December 13, 2024, two female students – one from FUL and the another from Kogi Poly –met a tragic end when a heavily loaded truck ran over a tricycle they were riding in.
However, the repeated loss of lives has sparked outrage among students, leading to an unprecedented protest that paralysed academic and administrative activities at FUL.
SUG leads protest, school shut indefinitely
In response to the latest tragedy, students, led by the Student Union Government, SUG, President, Benjamin Olorunfemi Timothy, staged a massive demonstration, blocking the university gate and threatening to restrict truck movements in the area.
“We have lost over 15 students in similar accidents. Our lives are no longer safe. Ban heavy-duty trucks from this road during the day. We have given the government a 72-hour ultimatum to act,” the SUG President declared.
Despite intervention from security operatives and university management, the protests escalated, forcing the school to shut down indefinitely on February 20, 2025.
A statement signed by the Registrar, Dr. Rebecca Aimiohu Okojie, confirmed the closure:
“Since the incident, students have barricaded the gates of the university despite magnanimous intervention from the state government as well as frantic efforts and appeal by the university management for calm.
Based on State Security Agencies’ advice, and to prevent further harm, the Vice-Chancellor has decided, after consulting with management, to close both university campuses indefinitely. Students are to vacate campuses on or before 12 noon, Thursday, February 20.”
A long history of negligence, tears
Lokoja’s road tragedies are not new. In March 2010, an out-of-control cement truck crushed 75 people, including 18 students from Kogi State Polytechnic.
Also, on September 27, 2017, a cement-laden truck from Dangote Cement Company lost control near the polytechnic’s gate, colliding with a tricycle and a taxi. This accident resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals, including three schoolchildren and a polytechnic student.
The aftermath saw students protesting in anger, blocking highways, setting bonfires, and vandalizing vehicles to express their grief and frustration. Yet, years later, the city continues to bleed from the same wounds.
Will the Government act?
The recurring tragedies in Lokoja raise critical questions: Why do these accidents keep happening? Are the safety measures in place effective? Who is responsible for enforcing truck regulations and roadworthiness?
Proposals for dedicated truck routes, stricter speed regulations for heavy-duty vehicles, and enhanced emergency response systems have experienced slow progress in implementation. Meanwhile, the cycle of grief continues.
Without effective measures, Lokoja’s roads will remain hazardous, posing risks to students pursuing education.
Crediblenewsng.com
