Leadnaija
The Federal University Lokoja found itself in a crisis when an articulated vehicle ran over and killed five students of the institution.
The protest that followed the accident gathered momentum on Monday shortly after the incident, and became full blown on Wednesday, with some of the defiant students refusing to soft-pedal from their hard-line stance.
The five students whose fate were bonded together in death penultimate Monday with two others include Sehaye Temidayo Emmanuel, Habibaru Ohunene Shaibu, Ajagbona Lolade, Waheed Afeez Omobolaji and Sarah Etiosa Ojei.
The sudden death of these students was greeted with wide spread uproar within and outside the state, with many screaming a case of one accident too many on this federal highway that passes through the entrance of the permanent site of the university at Felele, Lokoja in Kogi State.
Consequently, the relative peace in the institution was disrupted, as academic and administrative activities ended abruptly, following the unending students’ protest that overpowered the institution’s management.
Ironically, the unfolding events, resulting from the accident, pitched the students against the management of the institution and the security operatives.
The security operatives had engaged the protesting students from Monday in their attempts to restore law and order, without much success.
The students had laid siege at the main gate of the institution, making entry difficult, and threatening to close the highway to heavy duty vehicles plying in the day time, if the authorities fail to act in that regard.
The management of the institution declared Thursday and Wednesday an academic free-day to mourn the dead students and to allow nerves to calm down, to no avail.
Unfortunately, as the protest entered the third day on Wednesday, the spiral effect grounded every activity in the institution to a halt.
With the looming uncertainty, and to forestall further loss of lives, the management of the institution on 20th February closed down the school indefinitely.
A statement signed by the institution’s Registrar and Secretary to Council, Dr. Rebecca Aimiohu Okojie, states “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.
“Accordingly, arising from the advice of the State Security Agencies and to forestall further loss of lives and property, the Vice Chancellor after due consultation with management has decided on behalf of Senate that the university, both campuses, be closed down indefinitely.
“Students are to vacate campuses on or before 12 noon, today, Thursday 20th February.”
Accident
The management of the Federal University Lokoja introduced a “shuttle bus” system in its attempt to cushion the effect of cut-throat transport fares on the students and staff by other transporters running the school routes.
The shuttle bus has its itinerary well established; programmed to load from the permanent site at Felele-Lokoja and off load at its Adankolo campus site in the town.
The relatively low transport fare of the shuttle bus attracts students, staff and others to patronise its services heavily.
On Monday 16th February, fate played its script on the 11 occupants (passengers), including driver, of the school shuttle bus that took off from its loading point in Felele permanent site of the institution to the town.
Few minutes after hitting the road, a trailer carrying palm oil and wood planks rammed into the shuttle bus, killing seven occupants instantly.
Two people reportedly alighted at the bus stops on the way, while the third person was said to have forced the driver to stop few metres to the scene of the incident and left.
Last Hours
The last moments of some of the victims of the accident was as heart rending as it was sympathetic.
Some of the victims’ families were reported to have had a premonition of the impending doom, but unconscious about it, while some were said to have escaped the disaster by sheer providence.
According to a student named Wole, her friend would have been one of the victims of the accident if she had not “plighted from” of the bus before her final destination.
“My friend told me she lost her peace of mind shortly after the bus hit the road. With an increasing intensity of the feeling of uneasiness, filled with goose bumps, she shouted at the driver to stop few metres to the scene of the incident and alighted,” said Wole
The story of Lolade Ajagbona – a 400 level Mass Communication student, was like a case of someone having a date with death.
She was said to have arrived at the shuttle bus loading point in the company of two of her friends.
“The three of them are good friends who are always together on campus. On arrival at the shuttle motor park, the bus driver told them that there was only one remaining empty seat. They refused the driver’s offer and resolved to go together in the next bus.
“Suddenly, Ololade changed her mind and told her two friends that she would board the bus to enable her do a little shopping at the market, where she will wait for her friends.
“Her friend persuaded her to wait for the next bus so that the three of them will go together, but she insisted on boarding the bus. That was the last time her friend saw her alive,” said a close friend who pleaded anonymity.
In far away Egbe, her home town in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, a seemingly divine force reportedly sent a signal to the family.
According to a family source, her mother had dreamt of seeing her passing by on Monday, without giving her (mother) attention. Infuriated, she called her (Lolade) repeatedly to come back, but she ignored her without looking back.
Few hours after the mother’s dream, news of the bus accident and Ololade’s death hit the community.
Another victim Habibatu Ohunene Shaibu, a final year student of Economics, was said to be a devout Muslim whose death will be remembered for years by her colleagues.
Late Hibatu, who hailed from Idozumi in Okene, was said to be unusually calm and quiet that fateful day, to the extent that some friends were said to have raised it with her.
“Habibatu is a good example of a Muslim lady. She was always proud of her faith, promoting the religion by her mode of dressing and devotion to prayers,” said Ozovehe Micheal, a student of the institution.
The only survivor of the accident was said to have boarded the ill-fated bus with a lady who, unfortunately, did not survive the incident.
The driver of the bus was said to have stopped for a passenger (the only survivor) to alight. In the process of opening the door, the trailer rammed into them, crushing them on the spot leaving the sole survivor in a coma. His situation is said to have improved tremendously.
Protest Breakout
The incident drew the ire of the students of the institution, who took to the highway (the first day) and blocked the main gate of the institution, thereafter to protest the killing of their colleagues.
The students of the institution, led by the SUG president, Comrade Benjamin Olorunfemi Timothy, claimed that their lives were no longer safe on that part of the highway because of the incessant accidents.
“On Monday, we lost five of our students to the cold hands of death as a result of the recurring menace of trailers. We have records of 12 to 15 deaths of FUL students caused by trailers and trucks.
“All passage of heavy-duty trucks should be banned. That is our demand. We have liaised with the state government, and we have given them an ultimatum of 72 hours,” said Comrade Timothy.
The management issued a statement to sympathise with the families of the victims, describing it as a case of one accident too many on the Felele-Lokoja highway; even as it called for appropriate measures to mitigate such incidents.
Death Of Lecturer
Amid the students’ protest over the loss of five students in an accident, the university’s burden of mourning became heavier with the death of a senior lecturer in the department of Economics, Dr Titus Eze, in his sleep.
Dr Eze, whose whereabouts became a cause for concern in the school was later found dead on his bed.
Security operatives searched his apartment in Phase 11, Lokogoma area in Lokoja, after he was reported missing, and discovered his lifeless body.
Way Out
The Kogi State government has set up a committee to look at the best ways to stem the tide of accidents in that flank of Lokoja.
Accidents involving articulated vehicles have been a recurring decimal in that area, and residents have suggested measures to reduce its occurrence, considering the fact that the area harbours two tertiary institutions with high population.
They feel that a lasting solution would be to create a by-pass so that the articulated vehicles would not ply that entire flank.
A week after the incident, two trailers collided in the same area of Lokoja, though without casualty.
