TRUCK CRUSHES SSCE CANDIDATE TO DEATH, SIXTH FATALITY SINCE FEBRUARY

Ijebu Ode, Ogun State – A promising future was tragically cut short on Friday afternoon when a female Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) candidate was crushed to death by a runaway truck on the recently rehabilitated Ikangba/Agoro Road in Ijebu Ode. Another female student from the same school, SEICO Secondary School, sustained critical injuries in the horrific incident, which occurred shortly after they had finished their day’s examination.

The deceased student, whose identity is yet to be officially released, died instantly at the scene, still clutching her examination question papers. Her injured classmate was rushed for urgent medical attention, with residents praying for her survival.

According to eyewitness Mr. Eko Nicholas, the truck, reportedly coming from the Molipa axis, lost control, veered off the road, and slammed into the students before crashing into the fence of a nearby Redeemed Christian Church. “The students had just finished writing their exam. They were holding question papers. One of them died on the spot. The other is in a very critical state. We’re all hoping she survives,” a distraught Nicholas recounted.

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This tragic accident marks a grim milestone, bringing the death toll on the Ikangba/Agoro Road to six since February, with numerous others injured. Residents and the Community Development and Welfare Representatives (CDWR) have vociferously blamed the increasing fatalities on the absence of crucial safety measures like speed bumps and streetlights on the newly rehabilitated road.

“This is not the first. We’ve recorded six deaths on this same road since February, and several others have been injured. The government must act now. Speed breakers and streetlights are urgently needed, especially with the presence of many schools in this area,” Nicholas emphatically stated, echoing the long-standing appeals of the community.

Confirming the devastating incident, Mr. Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), stated, “Yes, the report from our officers confirms that one school pupil died in the crash.”

This latest tragedy has reignited calls for immediate government intervention to prevent further loss of life on the perilous road. Residents are urging the Ogun State government to prioritize the installation of traffic calming measures to safeguard the lives of pedestrians, especially the countless students who traverse the road daily. The community’s appeals to the state government for these vital safety improvements have, to date, gone unheeded, with devastating consequences.