By Deborah Nnamdi
A yet-to-be-identified female student of Seico Secondary School, Ikangba, Ijebu Ode, has been confirmed dead, while another was critically injured after a truck lost control and struck them as they were returning from school.
The accident occurred on Friday along the recently rehabilitated Ikangba/Agoro Road, Ogun State.
According to reports, the students were heading home after writing their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) when a truck, coming from the Molipa direction, lost control and veered into their path.
A resident and chairman of the Ogun State chapter of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights, Eko Nicholas, who witnessed the incident, said the truck also crashed into the fence of a nearby Redeemed Christian Church.
“These students were returning from their WASSCE exams—they still had their question papers in hand,” Nicholas said. “One of the girls died on the spot, and another was seriously injured. We are all praying for her recovery.”
Nicholas blamed the frequent accidents on the lack of safety measures along the road, such as speed bumps, urging the government to take action.
“This is another avoidable tragedy on the Ikangba/Agoro road. Since February, six lives have been lost here due to similar incidents,” he lamented. “We are calling on the state government to install speed breakers and streetlights to prevent further loss of lives.”
The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident, stating that one schoolgirl had died.
