Protesting students of the Federal University Lokoja, FUL, yesterday threatened to block the Abuja-Lagos Highway if the federal government fails to stop the incessant killing of their colleagues by trucks.
FUL President, Student Union Government, SUG, Benjamin Timothy, who made the threat during a procession at Falele Campus, Lokoja, said students are tired of mourning their colleagues.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that five students were killed on Monday when an articulated vehicle lost control and crushed a shuttle bus carrying students.
“The five students killed on Monday brought the number of those killed by trucks in avoidable accidents to 12, in a space of two months,” the SUG president decried.
Timothy said the peaceful demonstration was a signal to the authorities concerned to do something drastic about the continuous massacre of innocent students along the highway or they would barricade it.
“We have given the authorities 72 hours to address the incessant killings of our fellow students or we file out to the streets in huge protest.
“The five students that were killed on Monday brought the casualty to 12. We cannot keep folding our arms to see those trucks killing us like chickens.
“Most of us came to this university from afar in search of knowledge and not to die.
“Therefore, we must rise against dangerous and reckless drivers, who are out to kill us along Felele Highway,” he said.
According to him, the students are yet to see any action toward addressing the matter even though Governor Ahmed Ododo had pledged to do something drastic within 48 hours time.
Also speaking, the Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students, Nans, in Kogi, Gomina Ahmed-Kabir, decried the inaction of the federal and state governments over the continous killing of students on the highway.
Ahmed-Kabir said the authorities should not blame the students if they block the highway to drive home their demands.
Responding, the Security Adviser to Governor Ododo, Commodore Jerry Omodara, pleaded with the protesting students to give government more time to address the issue.
He said Ododo had, within less than 24 hours after Monday’s ugly incident, constituted a committee to look into the matter.
According to him, the committee is headed by the Deputy Governor, Joel Salifu, with the vice chancellor as a member.
He explained that the committee would look into ways of stopping the incessant killings of students on the highway.
“We are pleading with them to exercise some patience.
“We are even expecting the Minister of Works in Lokoja on Wednesday for us to brainstorm on better measures to be taken on the matter,” Omodara pleaded.
The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr Samuel Oyedeji, expressed sadness over the tragic accident witnessed along the highway.
Oyedeji said the corps is doing its best in carrying out routine checks on vehicles plying the highway.
He noted that this is to ensure that they are not only in good condition, but driven in compliance to road traffic rules.
“All these efforts are aimed at ensuring smooth and safe driving to avoid any form of accident that can bring loss of lives and property,” he said. (NAN)
