Fear enveloped the people of Ikot Inyang Village as a decrepit Max truck on Monday crushed to death two final-year students of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The speeding truck said to have had a brake failure veered off the road also crushed the motorcyclist who paddled the students at one of the deplorable portions of Ikot Inyang, one of the immediate communities of the polytechnic.
The Uyo-Ikot Ekpene-Aba Federal Highway snakes through the busy village caused by influx of students to the area.
Abasienyene John, a native of Ikot Abasi and Irene Edwin from Ibesikpo Asutan, the deceased, were preparing for their practical examination slated for Tuesday ahead of their signing out after hectic academic life.
The deceased ND 2 Science Laboratory Technology students were seen as “besties and inseparable twins.”
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They were ferried from school to their residence on a motorcycle when the truck rammed into them along the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Highway.
Meanwhile, the tragic incident which occurred 24 hours before their final diploma examination prompted the management of the institution to postpone the examination.
A public relations officer of the polytechnic, Gloria Udoudom, who confirmed the accident to PREMIUM TIMES, described the incident as “tragic.”
“Yes, I can confirm,” referring to the accident. “They were on a bike (motorcycle) – the two friends and this Pepsi truck ran into them, killing the bike man too,” Mrs Udoudom said.
Speaking at XL FM, Uyo with a news broadcaster, Okodi Okodi on Tuesday, a student (who did not disclose his identity) decried the deplorable and narrow nature of the road that caused the truck to have swerved off the road to smash the students.
According to him, ”Before I became a student in the polytechnic, I had noticed that the deplorable highway has led to the death of some students including the villagers.”
He, therefore, called the closure of the institution to compel the Federal Government which has the responsibility to fix the road that yearly makes entry into Federal Budget to avert further loss of precious lives.
Some of the polytechnic students live in Ikot Ekpene city, some kilometres away from Ikot Osurua, and commute to school daily, using commercial motorcycles, otherwise known as Okada. Others live in neighbouring villages but have been plying the school with motor cycle.
