Eight school children returning from end of year graduation ceremony narrowly escaped death when a container fell on their vehicle at Lokongoma market in Lokoja, Kogi state.
The incident occurred at about 3.45pm on Thursday afternoon.
All the eight school children were successfully rescued from the two crushed vehicles, one mitsubishi with registration number Abuja RSH 241 FH and one corrolla with registration number Kogi LMA 190 AA.
Eye witness account told our correspondent that the driver of the articulated truck lost control and was reversing while hitting the cars.
It was gathered that the truck was drawing the two cars back and eventually the container, which not properly latched on the truck, fell on the two cars with 8 school children.
It took the intervention of the good Samaritans to rescue the children unscratched.
The owner of the corrolla who identified himself simply as Adama said that all the eight children were successfully rescued out of the car without any or them sustaining any form of injury.
The Secretary to the Kogi State Governnent, Dr Mrs. Folashde Ayoade Arike, the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omadara, the state Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) commander, Sunday Samuel Oyedeji, who arrived at the scene coordinated the rescue operation.
Dr Ayoade, who was full of praise to God and the people who helped to rescue the children, said that the driver of the truck will be prosecuted for violating the law on latching the container on to 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 in behalf of the state government that everyone who were involved in the rescue operation, it shows that Kogites are kind people, and the state government really appreciate every one for this,” she said.
She disclosed that the children have been taken to the state Specialist Hospital for medical checks before they will be released to their families.
Also speaking, the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omadara (rtd) affirmed 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 SGS has said, he will be prosecuted”
The Sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp, Sunday Samuel Oyedeji, attributed the accident to brake failure. He warned drivers to always do proper checking of their vehicles before hitting the road to prevent accident of this nature.
