A yet-to-be identified trailer driver has reportedly killed a 400 level female student of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU, whose identity is yet to be ascertained.
The incident, according to reports, happened on the Umudike axis of the ever-busy Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Expressway on Sunday, October 3, 2021, where the university is located.
The MOUAU female student was said to have been killed by the driver of an articulate truck carrying full lengths of iron rod.
Unconfirmed reports have it that the driver of the truck lost control after his break system failed.
Sources within the area claimed that the cause of the ugly incident was as a result of the deplorable nature of the timber section of the Ikot Ekpene road.
Some of the students, who confirmed the incident, lamented the increasing death among students recorded on the road as a result of reckless driving and brake failures.
The sources, who demanded that the Federal and State governments should address the deplorable nature of the road, threatened to protest against what they termed negligence of plight of the students by the local, state, and federal government if they didn’t see any positive actions in the next 14 days.
Adanma Odefa, the public relations officer of MOUAU, was yet to reply to a text message sent to her mobile line at the time of filing the report.
Students of the Federal University on Monday took to the road to protest the killing of the female student and the deplorable nature of the Ikot-Ekpene Expressway.
Some of the protesters lamented the death of students recorded on the road.
The students who gave the name of their deceased colleague as Chidinma Ogbonna of Fishery recalled the death of another female student who was killed by a careless driver days after the deceased student had finished writing her exams.
They called on the Senator representing Abia Central Theodore Orji and the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Hon. Sam Onuigbo to ensure that the road was fixed.
Following the sad news, Governor Ikpeazu has directed immediate fixing of failed portion of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Federal Road.
Ikpeazu directed PUMECO Construction Company to move in on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, and fix all the failed portions of the Umuahia- Ikot Ekpene Road.
John Okiyi Kalu, the commissioner of Information made this known a few minutes ago while Speaking on FLOW Fm Radio.
The Commissioner further appealed to the protesting students of Michael Okpara University Umudike to go home as the Abia State Government has resolved to move into the failed portion of the Federal Road.
Source: The Nation
