No fewer than four pupils from Egbolo, Igalamela-Odolu local government area of Kogi state reportedly lost their lives on Monday morning, while several were injured after a truck conveying them to their school at the nearby Ofuloko community lost control and plunged into a river.
According to a video by Arise TV, the incident happened around 8:30am while residents cried out in distress as they helped pull the children out from under the truck.
Following the incident, residents blocked the road in protest, saying their community has no functioning school, blaming the tragedy on the long distances their children must trek through unsafe routes to attend classes in neighbouring villages.
A grieving parent who lost his son accused the government of neglecting Egbolo for years and called for urgent action to stop further incidents.
Usman Idrisu, a youth leader of the community, said the accident occurred around 8am when a truck carrying building materials ferried some of the pupils to drop them at Ofuloko primary school, but was involved in an accident leading to the death of four children, with many sustaining various degree of injuries.
“The truck could not climb the hill after it crossed the bridge and rolled backward before plunging into the river.
“We are seriously grieved in Egbolo community for the death of four of our children who died in the cause of seeking education,” he lamented.
Idrisu said the community, despite its population, does not have a primary school, lamenting that their children have to trek a long distance to Ofuloko community to enable them get access to basic education.
He appealed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to consider the population of the community and establish a primary school in the community.
