Parents of four university students have been thrown into mourning as the undergraduates died in two separate road crashes over the weekend.
In an accident that occurred in Ikorodu, three students of Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), lost their lives while another at the Iseyin Campus of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) died in another accident.
The 200-level student of the Department of Agricultural Economics at LAUTECH was killed by a yet-to-be-identified driver, a development that sparked a protest by other students, eventually making management shutting down the institution.
The accident occurred on Iseyin-Saki road in Oyo State while the LASUSTECH students ended sadly in a tragic multi-vehicle accident that occurred at Powerline Junction, near Aleje on the route towards Ikorodu Roundabout while a 200 Level student of Agricultural Economics at LAUTECH was killed by a yet-to-be-identified driver.
As ‘The Nation’ reports, the victims at LASUSTECH—two males and one female—were said to have died on the spot, while seven others, including tricycle operators, sustained severe injuries.
The incident involved an unregistered sand-laden tipper truck, a Toyota Corolla (registration number SMK 42 AJ), an MPV bus, and four tricycles.
According to preliminary findings by traffic authorities, the tipper truck suffered brake failure while travelling at high speed.
The driver reportedly lost control, causing the vehicle to ram into multiple motorists and tricycle riders along the busy corridor.
Seven seriously injured victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for emergency treatment, while the remains of the three deceased students were taken to the General Hospital, Ikorodu mortuary.
All damaged vehicles and wreckages were subsequently cleared from the roadway by LASTMA officials to restore free flow of traffic.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sadness over the incident, condoling with the families of the deceased students.
He prayed for strength for the bereaved and swift recovery for the injured.
Describing the accident as “entirely avoidable,” Bakare-Oki condemned the persistent issues of over-speeding, reckless driving, and lack of proper vehicle maintenance, especially the failure of brake systems in heavy-duty vehicles.
He urged commercial drivers and truck operators to comply strictly with speed regulations and ensure regular mechanical inspection of their vehicles.
Bakare-Oki affirmed LASTMA’s commitment to enforcing traffic regulations, promoting safer roads and providing timely emergency response across Lagos State.
Personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were the first responders at the scene, swiftly mobilising to prevent further accidents, manage traffic, and coordinate rescue efforts.
They were joined by operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Odongunyan Unit, and officers of the Shagamu Police Division.
