FUL students protest death of colleagues

Students of Federal University Lokoja on Wednesday, protested over the death of five of their colleagues who were crushed by an articulated truck on Monday afternoon.

The students who lost their lives in the ghastly motor accident are Sehaye Temidayo Emmanuel, Habibaru Ohunene Shaibu, Ajagbona Lolade, Waheed Afeez Omobolaji and Sarah Etiosa Ojei.

The students, who were chanting solidarity songs during the protest to express their grievances, were spotted carrying placards with various inscriptions, calling on both the Federal and State Governments to meet their demands within 72 hours.

Addressing journalists, the Student Union President of Federal University Lokoja, Comrade Benjamin Olorunfemi Timothy, who led the protest, said they want the government to ban trucks from plying the highway during the daytime.

“On Monday, we lost five of our students, whose pictures are here, to the cold hands of death as a result of the recurring menace of trailers. We have records of 12 to 15 deaths of FUL students caused by trailers and trucks. This is due to the bad road and the high speed of these trucks.

“We have seen other states where they ban the movement of trucks during the daytime. The question I am asking here is this: since Monday, if it was the child of the Governor or a Senator, within 24 hours, a law would have been enacted banning trucks from plying our road during the daytime. All passage of heavy-duty trucks should be banned. That is our demand.

“We have liaised with the state government, and we have given them an ultimatum of 72 hours. We have spent over 43 hours out of the 72 hours. We are calling on all stakeholders to come to our aid. The students are crying and dying. Our lives are not secured on this highway anymore,” he stated.

Timothy vowed that if their demands were not met within 72 hours, they would shut down the highway.

Recall the deputy governor of Kogi, Comrade Joel Salifu Oyibo, visited the institution on Tuesday and held meeting with the management of the institution.

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