Eight school children returning from an end-of-term party have escaped death as a truck loaded with tractors fell on the two cars they were travelling in on Thursday.
The accident occurred at 3.30 pm in Lokongoma market along Okene/Kabba road in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.
When our correspondent visited the scene of the accident, he reported that all eight schoolchildren were successfully rescued from the crushed two vehicles, one Mitsubishi with registration number Abuja RSH 241 FH and one Corolla with registration number Kogi LMA 190 AA, parked in front of the owner’s.
The Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Dr Mrs Folashde Ayoade Arike, the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omadara, the State Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, and the State Corps Commander, Sunday Samuel Oyedeji, who arrived at the scene, coordinated the rescue operation.
The owner of the Corolla, who identified himself simply as Adama, said that all eight children were successfully rescued from the car without any of them sustaining any form of injury.
The SSG, who was full of praise to God and the people who helped to rescue the children, said that the driver of the truck would be prosecuted for violating the law on latching the container onto the truck to prevent it from falling.
“I want to thank God most sincerely for sparing the lives of the children. These are children coming from their graduation ceremony and looking forward to starting their long holiday.
“I also want to say on behalf of the state government that everyone who was involved in the rescue operation showed that Kogites are kind people, and the state government really appreciates everyone for this,” she said.
Dr Arike Ayoade disclosed that the children have been taken to the state specialist hospital for checking before they will be released to their families.
Also speaking, the state security adviser, Commander Jerry Omadara, echoed the SSS position that the driver will not go unpunished for not doing the right thing against the law of the state.
“We have warned repeatedly that every container should be latched on to the back of the truck carrying them; just like the SSG has said, he will be prosecuted.”
The Sector commander of the state Federal Road Safety Corp, Sunday Samuel Oyedeji, attributed the accident to brake failure.
He warned drivers to always do proper checks of their vehicles before hitting the road to prevent accidents of this nature.
Meanwhile, the lucky children have been taken to the state specialist hospital for a medical check-up before being released to their families.
