Secondary School Students' Death Toll Rises to TEN

Abeokuta — Emotions still run high, as Wednesday afternoon a truck rammed into a school building in Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, killing no fewer than 10 students, while 50 vehicles were damaged.

An eyewitness, who was part of the rescue team before the arrival of officers of Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, says the accident involves students of Itori Comprehensive High School.

According to the source, the students had just closed for the day and were heading for their homes when the truck rammed into them.

The truck (plate number LAGOS YZ 628 AKD) was said to be coming from Abeokuta, the state capital, when it veered off the median and ran into the students.

Confirming the incident, Itori Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr. Fatai Bakare, however, said only five students were confirmed dead.

He said the driver lost control and veered off the road before it fell on the school pupils.

The inability of the local government to assist the injured angered the residents and parents of the victims, who then went on rampage. The residents of the area unleashed violence on motorists caught up in the ensuing traffic, who abandoned their vehicles in a bid to escape the melee. The vehicles, numbering up to 50, were thereafter vandalised.

Some of the protesters also complained about the late arrival of the security and rescue officials to the accident scene. Many motorists plying the road, located along the old Abeokuta-Lagos road, could not hold back tears on arriving at the scene.

The development prompted the Police to call for the services of an Amoured Personnel Carrier, APC, belonging to the Ogun State Command to restore order preparatory to the evacuation of victims.

Meantime, corpses of victims have been taken to the nearby morgue of the local government, while several injured students were reportedly rushed to Ifo General Hospital.