Tragedy struck in Kwara State on Friday as several health workers lost their lives in a fatal road accident along the Oke-Onigbin–Omu-Aran highway while returning from the 2026 Workers’ Day celebration in Ilorin.
The victims, said to be members of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria in Ekiti Local Government Area, were reportedly heading home after participating in the annual May Day rally held at the Kwara State Stadium when the crash occurred.
Although the exact number of casualties had yet to be confirmed as of press time, eyewitnesses disclosed that the accident happened in the evening after one of the vehicles conveying the workers suffered a tyre burst.
The driver was said to have lost control, resulting in a devastating crash.
Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Ekiti Local Government Council, Awelewa Olawale Gabriel, described the tragedy as a heavy loss to the council, the health sector, and the state at large.
He lamented that the victims, whom he described as committed professionals, had set out to celebrate Workers’ Day but never made it back home.
According to him, the incident has cast a pall over what should have been a moment of unity and celebration for Nigerian workers, noting that the deceased died in the course of serving humanity.
He extended condolences to the bereaved families and the union, praying for strength for those left behind and eternal rest for the deceased.
Some of the injured survivors are currently receiving treatment in various hospitals, while the council chairman expressed optimism about their recovery.
The tragedy has plunged the local government and labour community into mourning, with the Kwara State chapter of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria declaring a three-day mourning period in honour of the deceased.
Members across the state were directed to fly the union’s flag at half-mast as a mark of respect for their fallen colleagues.
Gabriel also assured that the local government would collaborate with the state government and relevant agencies to support affected families and assist with the medical care of the injured.
Efforts to reach officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.