PROTEST: Students Set Bus Ablaze Over Death Of Mate

Students of Micheal Okpara Unversity of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU) on Monday went on rampage and set ablaze an Akwa Ibom State commercial vehicle that crushed a female student of the university.

The first year female student was said to be going back to her hostel after the days lectures when the bus knocked her down in front of the university gate where she was standing.

Eye witness account said that the female student was waiting for a friend of hers who had gone across the road to make some purchases when the accident occurred.

It was alleged that the bus, which was on high speed, lost control and swerved towards the university where it hit the female student who was said to have died almost immediately.

Angered by the sudden death of their colleague right in front of the university gate, the students immediately pounced on the offending and set the vehicle ablaze. The driver of the bus was said to have escaped unhurt.

Some road users who commented on the unfortunate incident lamented the excessive speed and recklessness of the Akwa Ibom Transport Corporation drivers, which had led to many fatal accidents along the UmuahiaIkot Ekpene road.

Some students called on the Federal Ministry of Works and the university authorities to erect speed barriers within 500 metres from the institutions to reduce the speed of reckless drivers and to avoid future occurrences.

When contacted, the public relations officer of the university, Mrs Onyinyechi Nwachukwu, confirmed the incident to journalists.

Reacting to the incident, the Abia State Police Public Relations officer, Mr Geofrey Ogbonna, confirmed the story and described the accident as unfortunate.

He said the police had waded into the matter to investigate the cause of the accident while the vehicle had been removed to stop it obstructing other road users and prevent another accident from happening if the wreckage was allowed to remain there.