Truck Crushes Six FCE Students to Death in Abeokuta.

Muyiwa Adejobi

Tragedy struck at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Osiele Abeokuta, Ogun state, as six students of the College were crushed to death.

Eyewitness said the ill-fated truck, loaded with granite, rammed into a taxi conveying the students from their institution to the town.

The affected students were said to have died on the spot. This immediately caused unrest as their colleagues stormed the ever-busy Abeokuta/ Ibadan road and barricaded with bonfires.

The four similar trucks ran into the rampaging students and were set ablaze.

The protest led to a traffic gridlock on the highway as motorists and commuters could not proceed to their respective destinations for hours.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Muyiwa Adejobi on Friday night, said some miscreants hijacked the students’ protest.

Adejobi, who stated that only two students have been confirmed dead at press time, said there was conflicting reports on the number of victims involved in the accident.

He said the police had to disperse the protesters when their protest was spiraling out of control.

Adejobi added that the Police Commissioner, Ikemefuna Okoye, attempted to calm the protesters who, however, defied all entreaties.

He said, “The protest was hijacked by miscreants; it was not just a student protest again. The CP tried to address the protesters but they went on the rampage.

The police had to dislodge them with teargas.

“Most of the students retreated when the management tried to address them but some hoodlums who hijacked the protest continued, threatening to burn all the tippers at Asero motorpark.

“As to the number of victims, there are conflicting reports. The command is yet to be briefed by the DPO (in charge of Obantoko Division) who is busy maintaining law and order in the area.”

Adejobi, however, assured that policemen were on ground to ensure normalcy returns to the area.