Four pupils from Egbolo community in Igalamela-Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State lost their lives on Monday morning when a truck transporting them to school in nearby Ofuloko community lost control and plunged into a river.
The tragic incident occurred around 8:30 a.m., throwing the community into chaos as residents rushed to the scene to rescue the trapped children from beneath the overturned vehicle. Several other pupils sustained injuries.
Angered by the incident, residents blocked the road in protest, lamenting that Egbolo has no functional primary school—forcing their children to trek long distances through unsafe routes to attend school in neighbouring communities.
A bereaved father who lost his son blamed the government for years of neglect, calling for urgent intervention to prevent similar tragedies.
Usman Idrisu, a youth leader in Egbolo, said the pupils had boarded a truck carrying building materials, which often helped drop children off at Ofuloko Primary School.
According to him, the accident occurred when the truck, after crossing a bridge, struggled to climb a hill, rolled back, and plunged into the river.
“We are seriously grieved in Egbolo community for the death of four of our children who died in the course of seeking education,” he said.
Idrisu noted that despite the community’s population size, Egbolo lacks a primary school, forcing children to endure risky daily journeys on foot to access basic education.
He appealed to Governor Ahmed Ododo to consider the plight of the community and urgently establish a primary school in Egbolo.
