Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has lamented over the death of 17 students in an auto crash on their return from Kano State.
The governor described the auto crash which occurred last Thursday as sad.
The accident was said to have occurred at Bacita junction on Jebba/Ilorin highway, Moro local government area of the state, involving an 18-seater Toyota Hiace passenger bus and an articulated DAF container truck.
The two vehicles had a head-on collision at a bend on the highway, in what was described as a clear case of dangerous driving and overspeeding.
In a statement, the governor’s chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, AbdulRazaq commiserated with the parents an families of the deceased students and prayed to God to avert such calamity in the future.
“We, however, believe that we can avoid this calamity in the future. We reiterate our calls on the drivers to always check their speed, respect other road users, and put their vehicles in the best condition. Most accidents occur because our drivers often fail these three basic tests of safe driving,” the statement said.
“Besides, we call on our tertiary institutions which still require students to travel long distance for their post-UTME examination to please consider holding such test online to avert the necessity of travel. This will not only reduce travel and attendant risks, but also encourage students to embrace and excel in computer literacy, a sine qua non for success in the 21st century.”