In a heart-wrenching incident that unfolded on Wednesday in Osun State, two final year students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, along with the driver of their ill-fated 18-seater bus, met a tragic end as the vehicle erupted into flames, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
The accident occurred at the Ojutu area of Ilobu, situated in the Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State, when the speeding Mazda bus, carrying students, suddenly burst into flames.
The inferno claimed the lives of the two LAUTECH students and the driver, reducing them to mere victims of a horrific accident.
Eyewitnesses at the scene described the horrifying spectacle as the bus became engulfed in flames, leaving no chance of survival for the three occupants.
Five other passengers on board the ill-fated vehicle were not spared from the tragedy, as they sustained severe burn injuries.
Agnes Ogungbemi, the Osun Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), confirmed the incident on Thursday, attributing the catastrophe to both speed limit violation and a loss of control behind the wheel.
She revealed that some of the injured victims had been rushed to Uniosun Teaching Hospital in Osogbo for medical attention, while others were transported to a private hospital within the town.
Furthermore, Ogungbemi mentioned that three mobile phones were discovered at the accident site and subsequently handed over to the police for investigation.
Henry Benamaisia, the Sector Commander, issued an urgent plea to all motorists, urging them to exercise utmost caution while navigating the nation’s public highways.
His appeal emphasised the necessity of responsible driving to prevent such tragic incidents and the untimely loss of lives on the road.
This devastating accident serves as a somber reminder of the grave consequences that can result from reckless driving, sending shockwaves through the LAUTECH community and beyond as they mourn the loss of two promising students and the driver who lost their lives in this harrowing incident.
