There was a great relief on Thursday when eight schoolchildren returning from an end-of-term party escaped death as a truck loaded with tractors fell on the two cars they were travelling in.
The accident occurred in the Lokongoma market along the Okene-Kabba Road in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
Our correspondent who visited the scene of the accident reports that all eight schoolchildren were successfully rescued from the two crushed 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 owners.
Among the early callers to the accident scene were the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Dr Folashade Arike Ayoade, the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omadara, the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo and the state Federal Roads Safety Corps commander, Sunday Samuel Oyedeji, who coordinated the rescue operations.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the lucky children had been taken to the state Specialist Hospital for medical check-ups before they were released to their families.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Government has vowed to prosecute the driver of the truck for failing to latch the container onto the truck.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashde Arike Ayoade, dropped the hint when she visited the accident scene alongside other government officials.
“The driver will be made to account for his actions for failing to do the right thing,” she said.
Our correspondent learnt that the schoolchildren were returning from their school graduation ceremony and were travelling in the Mitsubishi car which made a stopover for some shopping while the children were in the car.
The SSG who was full of praise to God and the people who helped to rescue the children said 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 for sparing the lives of the children. These are children coming from their graduation ceremony and looking forward to starting their long holiday” she said.
Also speaking, the state Security Adviser, Omadara, reiterated that the driver would not go unpunished for not doing the right thing.
“We have warned repeatedly that every container should be latched onto the back of the truck carrying them. Just like the SSG has said, he will be prosecuted.”
The sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Sunday Samuel Oyedeji, attributed the accident to brake failure warning drivers to always do proper checking of their vehicles before hitting the road to prevent accidents of this nature.
