No fewer than eight pupils have been rescued unhurt after a 40-feet articulated container fell on two cars in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Kogi State, Samuel Oyedeji, disclosed this on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
Oyedeji said the incident occurred at Lokongoma market in Lokoja at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
He disclosed that the two smashed vehicles were with eight schoolchildren.
The FRSC official stated that the accident occurred when the fully loaded container, which was not properly latched on the trailer, fell off and landed on the two parked cars along the road.
Oyedeji said: “The truck lost brake when it couldn’t climb the Lokongoma small hill and began to roll backwards.
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“As it rolled back, it hit one of the parked cars, which made the container which wasn’t properly latched fall on the two vehicles and trapped the eight children inside one of the vehicles.
“Thank God, we were able to mobilise rescue team with the help of the people, who rescued the eight children; four males and four females.
“We have rushed the eight children to Kogi State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja for proper medical check-up.”
He further revealed that the pupils’ parents had gone to buy something for them in a shop when the incident happened.
The FRSC Sector Commander added: “We have been campaigning that a container must be properly latched on your trailer at any point in time yet the truck drivers don’t comply.
“We are going to prosecute the driver of this trailer to serve as a deterrent to other drivers.
“Though the driver of this trailer ran away, we go after him and get him arrested and prosecuted.”
Oyedeji also stressed the need to relocate the market and others away from the road to avoid casualties.
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