Between 13 and17 school children died in Lagos Tuesday after a truck reportedly suffered a brake failure and rammed into them, witnesses said.
Meanwhile, the exact number of casualties is yet to be ascertained.
The accident happened along Isheri Road, just before the Ojodu Police Station but businesses along the road have shut down while vehicular traffic is grounded.
Eyewitness accounts said the truck was carrying tissue paper and was suspected to have suffered a brake loss, thus making it to run over several students of Ojodu Grammar school in front of the Grammar School police station.
Although, as at the time of this report the cause of the accident is yet to be verified according to eyewitnesses the truck which was coming to inbound Ogba from Berger ran over “not less than 10 students who were just returning from school for the day”.
Eyewitnesses said that immediately after the accident happened the police came to arrest the driver and impounded the vehicle but the students of Ojodu Grammar School revolted after seeing their fellow students killed.
The students after knowing that the vehicle was taken to Area G police station traced the vehicle and burned it to ashes and damaged several trucks on Ogunnusi road.
However, another version of eyewitnesses account stated that the vehicle was being chased by traffic officers.
Witnesses said the truck driver ran into the children just outside Ojodu Grammar School and sped away.
“He was pursued and caught around Ogba and was brought back to the station. That is why the youth are attacking the police station.”
As of the time of filing this report, angry youth had vandalised trucks around the area and are throwing stones into the police station. And the police officers have barricaded their gates and are firing gunshots and tear gas canisters at intervals.
-D’Independent
