‘Their death could be prevented’ — Kwara gov mourns 17 admission seekers

Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Kwara governor, has commiserated with the families of 17 university admission seekers in the state who recently lost their lives in an auto crash.

The deceased students had been aboard an 18-seater Toyota Hiace passenger bus when their vehicle rammed into a DAF container truck along the Ilorin/Jebba/Mokwa highway on Thursday.

They were returning home from Kano when the tragedy struck.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor’s chief press secretary, AbdulRazaq sent his condolences to their families, describing the incident as preventable.

The governor also prayed that such tragedy would be averted in future.

“We believe that we can avoid this calamity in the future. We reiterate our calls on the drivers to always check their speed, respect other road users, and put their vehicles in the best condition. Most accidents occur because our drivers often fail these three basic tests of safe driving,” the statement read.

“Besides, we call on our tertiary institutions which still require students to travel long distances for their post-UTME examination to please consider holding such test online to avert the necessity of travel.

“This will not only reduce travel and attendant risks but also encourage students to embrace and excel in computer literacy, a sine qua non for success in the 21st century.”

Udeme Eshiet, head of operations at the state command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said the deceased had been taken to the mortuary while two others who only sustained injuries were hospitalized.