NANS Senate President, Four Other Officials Die In Motor Accident

Five members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) were yesterday killed in a ghastly motor accident in Ariam area in Ikwuano area of Abia state.

The students were said to be on their way to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital to negotiate peace between the students of University of Uyo and their students following the crisis the erupt there on Tuesday.

Among the dead was NANS’s Senate President, Mr. Donald Onukaogu, said to be the leader of the students delegation to Uyo.

Onubogu was a student of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and Imo state.

Others who lost their lives  in the accident were Assah Ejeita from Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, Duru Jacob, Assistant Secretary General of NANS, Zone B, and one Japheth, and one other whose full name could not be ascertained as at press time.

Seven others who survived with serious injuries were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where they are currently receiving treatment.

The accident occurred along the busy Umuahia -Ikot Ekpene Federal road when the Hiace bus conveying the students was rammed into a trailer coming from Akwa Ibom state which was said to have lost control before ramming in to the bus.

The students were said to be on their way to University of Uyo to initiate peace between the students and the university authorities following the riot which erupted there on Tuesday.

Both the dead and the injured were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.

Abia state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji visited the wounded at the hospital where they were receiving treatment when the report of the accident reached him.

Taking the Governor Orji round the casualty ward where the injured students were receiving treatment, Dr. Kalu in charge of the ward said that the accident victims and the dead were brought to the hospital in the morning.

Dr. Kalu confirmed that their vehicle was said to have been involved in a head-on collision with a lorry at Ikwuano on their way to Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.

Governor Orji sympathized with Nigerian students over the death of five executives of their union.

Orji described the incident as “a calamity and sympathetic” even as he cautioned drivers to be careful while driving, urging them to always maintain manageable speed limit.

The Governor said that that the casualty level would have been minimal if the drivers were not on high speed.

According to him, the incident was disheartening as the victims were the future leaders of the country.

Abia state police command confirmed the incident. However, the villagers were said to have resisted police from removing the corpes from the bus, insisting that government authorities must come to see the deplorable condition of the road.