By Peter Duru
Makurdi—Two pupils of LGEA Primary School, Low Cost, Makurdi, were yesterday crushed to death when a truck loaded with bags of beans fell on them, while on their way to school.
The accident also left the mother of the children, who was taking them to school, in critical condition at the North Bank General Hospital.
An eyewitness at the North Bank Heavy Duty Park told Vanguard that the truck skidded off the road when it was shoved off the narrow road by a tanker, while trying to overtake .
He said: “When the tanker tried to overtake the truck, which was loaded with beans, it pushed the truck that fell on the children and their mother, who was taking them to school.
“When it happened we all mobilised and did our best to remove the victims from under the beans and truck that fell on them.
“Unfortunately, one of them was completely crushed to death.
“The other was also crushed but was in terrible condition. We learned she later died, but their mother, who had her two legs damaged, was in a terrible condition when we rescued them.”
On his part, Head Teacher of LGEA Primary School, Low Cost Makurdi, Mr. Dennis Tyoiam, who was still in shock when he spoke to Vanguard, said the accident would have been averted if the federal government had reacted to the several appeals made to have the road rehabilitated
Tyoiam said, “this is a road that links Benue and Nasarawa state but if you look at the condition you will discover that the road has no shoulder.
“This is not the first time we are recording this type of accident but after every accident, we will cry and government will make promises to rehabilitate the road but at the end of the day nothing will happen.
On his part, the Secretary of National Union of road Transport Workers, Heavy Duty Truck section, Comrade Umaru Nadabo, said, “it is a sad development, innocent children were crushed to deaths because government has refused to be responsive.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officers, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Moses Yamu, on the matter was not successful as he could not be reached on phone.
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