Six students of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL) and their shuttle bus driver lost their lives in a tragic accident on Monday afternoon when an articulated vehicle crashed into their bus in Felele, Lokoja.
The accident, which occurred around 2:30 p.m., left several other passengers trapped as the trailer, loaded with wood and jerrycans of palm oil, lost control and rammed into the university shuttle bus.
An eyewitness at the scene described the crash as horrific, stating that the impact of the collision crushed the bus, leaving no chance for survival for some of the occupants.
“It was a devastating sight. The trailer driver seemed to have lost control before it veered into the shuttle bus, completely wrecking it,” he recounted.
The wreckage caused a major traffic disruption, leaving motorists and passengers stranded along the highway. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) swiftly arrived at the scene to rescue victims and clear the debris.
Kogi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Samuel Oyedeji, confirmed the incident but said the exact number of casualties was still being determined.
“We have transported those injured to the Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja and Kogi State Specialist Hospital for urgent medical attention, while the bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the morgues for identification,” Oyedeji stated.