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Mother of Three Siblings Killed in Akungba Crash Dies of Shock, AAUA Shut

Published

3 years ago

January 25, 2021

Eric

The management of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, on Sunday ordered the closure of the institution until further notice.

The development was not unconnected to the protest that followed the fatal accident, which occurred opposite the campus of the institution on Saturday, in which no fewer than nine persons, including some students of the university, were killed.

The directive to close down the school was contained in a circular issued by the acting Registrar, Mr Opeoluwa Akinfemiwa.

The circular read, “Further to our circular of Saturday, January 23, 2021 and the attendant protest by students on Sunday, January 24, 2021, the acting Vice-Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, on behalf of the Senate, has directed that the university be closed with immediate effect until further notice.

“All students are therefore advised to vacate the campus latest by 6pm today, Sunday, January 24, 2021.”

It was gathered that three siblings were among the victims, who lost their lives in the crash.

According to the Ondo State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps and the state command of the Nigeria Police, no fewer than nine persons were killed, while several others were injured in the accident that involved a truck belonging to Dangote Cement.

It was gathered that the cement-laden truck was heading for Owo from Obajana in Kogi State, when its brake allegedly failed. As a result, the driver lost control of the vehicle and swerved off the road and rammed into some shops directly opposite the university.

In a Facebook post, a former spokesman for the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Joe Igbokwe, said the mother of the three siblings killed in the crash also died of shock on Saturday after hearing the sad news about her children.

Igbokwe’s post was titled: ‘I am in deep pains and totally diminished as a mortal’.

He wrote, “An accident occurred yesterday (Saturday) in Akungba, Ondo State….these three guys were from same parents, a trailer crushed the three of them together in their shop and they all died instantly. Their mum died on the spot on hearing the news. Two of them are final year students of Ondo State University…….”

Similarly, a former Student Union President of the university, Samuel Adesomoju, popularly known as Sampraise, was also confirmed to be one of the victims of the crash.

The Global President of the National Association of Ondo State Students, Ayoade Kikiowo, confirmed this to journalists.

The body of Adesomoju, a 500-level law student, was discovered in the mortuary after the crash. One of his friends, Iyantan John, also confirmed this on his Facebook page.

He wrote, “The ugly event that happened yesterday in Akungba community will not concern the ‘Authorities’ that is why these incidents continue to happen often and often.

“The most painful thing is that I lost a brother who is so dear to me. Former SUG President and 500level law student, my acquaintance while in AAUA. May God console his family and the families of the late students. #RescueAkungba.”

Following the incident, students of the university took to the streets of the town to protest against incessant road crashes in the community, particularly along the university road.

The protesting students, who were singing solidarity songs, barricaded the roads that entered into the town and asked vehicles going into the town to turn back.

The angry students also sent back the state government delegation led by the Chief of Staff to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. All efforts to appeal to them failed.

They demanded the personal appearance of the governor and not a delegation. The students stopped the delegation at Iwaro junction, in Akungba Akoko, stating that the government had neglected the community as no effort was made to curb incessant road accidents in the community.

However, they allowed the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Salami, to enter the town with his security aides, while the government delegation returned to Akure.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Senate Leader, who is representing Ondo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, has described as unfortunate the avoidable crash that led to loss of lives and propertys in Akungba on Saturday.

The senator said in a statement by his media aide, Kayode Fakuyi, on Sunday, “It is time to stop the incessant carnage on the Akungba Road.

“It is deeply disturbing to hear about another accident on the Akungba Road. It becomes more confounding that the accident claimed many lives and property.

“Many accidents have occurred along that route in the past and worthy counsels and viable suggestions have been offered.

“The situation is not helpless and it is time to put an end to the incessant carnage on roads in Akoko land.”

The Punch

Featured

Stay Away from CBT Centres, JAMB Warns Parents, Threatens Arrest

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

As this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) begins on Friday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has vowed to arrest parents found near any Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre during the 2024 UTME exercise.

The directive was issued at the final briefing of the CBT centre owners, which was held virtually on Wednesday, 17th April, 2024.

The spokesman for JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, said this directive became necessary following the intrusive disposition of some parents during the Board’s previous exercises.

Benjamin, who quoted JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said any parent, who disobeys the order would not only be arrested but his ward would also be disqualified from sitting for the examination.

Oloyede explained that this measure became necessary as it has been discovered over time that many of these intruding parents are facilitators of examination infractions while others have, by their actions, disrupted the Board’s examinations in the past.

He added that some miscreants also disguise as parents to infiltrate the centres to perpetrate all forms of infractions.

“The Board’s helmsman noted that going by the extant national policy on education, a candidate for the examination must have attained the age of 17 years.

“Therefore, it is evident that these parents had not allowed their wards to pass through the classes as defined in the document, hence the desperation to follow their wards to the examination venue with the aim of compromising examination officials.

“At any rate, it is clear to any discerning observer that these parents deserve to be sanctioned as they had obviously ‘smuggled’ underage children into the ranks of those scheduled to sit the examination,” the Board note through a statement.

Furthermore, the Registrar said all arrangements have been concluded for the conduct of the 2024 UTME, which will be held in over 700 CBT centres across the nation.

He disclosed that the Board expects a seamless exercise but it has nevertheless made adequate provision to tackle any technical glitch that might occur in the course of the examination.

He, however, warned that if a session experienced any technical challenge, candidates in subsequent sessions would be allowed to sit their examination as scheduled while the candidates in the challenged session would be rescheduled for the last session for the day or the following day or even further depending on the centre schedules.

Featured

Oyo Govt Demolishes Operational Base of Yoruba Nation Agitators

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Oyo State government, on Wednesday, demolished a building serving as the operational base of the Yoruba Nation agitators led by Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, in Ibadan.

Onitiri-Abiola, one of the widows of late Bashorun M.KO Abiola, had declared the creation of the so-called Yoruba Nation in a video posted online, which has been widely condemned.

Last Saturday, some armed men in military uniforms invaded the Oyo State Secretariat, with the motive to forcefully take over the State House of Assembly, before they were dislodged by the combined efforts of police and troops for the Nigeria Army 2 Division..

Mr. Fatai Owoseni, Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, confirmed the demolition of the house located at Toye Oyesola Street in Ibadan South West Local Government Area.

Already, no fewer than 29 suspects – including a lecturer – arrested in connection with the foiled armed invasion were on Wednesday arraigned by the police before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan.

In a case with charge number Mi/520c/2024 between the Commissioner of Police and the 29 suspects, they were accused of a seven-count charge of treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearms, and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

Inspector Bakare Rasaq, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, said the offence contravenes, and is punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

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PDP BoT Queries Damagum, Anyanwu’s Continued Stay in Office

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has queried the continued stay in office of the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

Recently, many party members have raised concerns about the ongoing tenure of Damagum and Anywanwu in their respective positions.

Previously serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the role of acting National Chairman following the court’s suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in March of the preceding year.

With the National Secretary being selected as the PDP candidate for the Imo State 2023 governorship election, the South zone has been grappling with nominating a replacement. Despite this, he, along with other party leaders, contested and retained the position of party secretary after losing to Governor Hope Uzodinnma.

The Punch