No fewer than six final-year nursing students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, have been confirmed dead in a tragic road crash as they travelled to sit for their final examinations.
The six students, all 500-level candidates in the institution’s Open and Distance Learning Bachelor of Nursing Science programme, died in the accident while heading to Ogbomoso, Oyo State, for what was meant to be the concluding phase of their academic journey. Among them was a student said to be heavily pregnant at the time of the crash.
Their bodies have since been deposited in a mortuary, where they await autopsy and further directives from authorities.
The sombre reality of their demise has cast a heavy pall over the university community and beyond.
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According to reports, the victims were, until their deaths, working nurses, women who had combined hospital duties with academic pursuits, juggling careers, family responsibilities, and the demanding requirements of professional training.
Classmates who had expected to reunite with them in examination halls are currently grappling with shock and disbelief.
As of the time of filing this report, no official statement had been issued by the management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology regarding the exact circumstances of the accident.
The accident is reported to have occurred along a major highway leading to Ogbomoso, though the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation. Authorities have deployed traffic and emergency officials to the scene to manage the situation and prevent further incidents, while investigations are ongoing to determine whether road conditions, vehicle malfunction, or driver error contributed to the tragedy.
Family members and colleagues of the victims have begun arriving at the mortuary, grappling with grief and shock at the sudden loss of the young students. Community leaders and fellow nursing students have organized prayer vigils and memorial services, expressing solidarity with the bereaved families and calling for greater attention to road safety for students and commuters.
The university management is expected to release an official statement in the coming days, outlining the circumstances of the accident and support measures for the families of the victims. Meanwhile, students in the Open and Distance Learning programme have been advised to postpone travel plans for their examinations until safety assurances are provided, as authorities work to prevent further loss of life on the roads.
The Guardian
