Tragedy struck in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, after a student who had just completed his final examinations at the Community Health Department of the Kogi State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Idah, lost his life in a fatal road accident.
The deceased, identified as Ismail AbdulKarim, was reportedly crushed by a speeding truck around the Felele area of Lokoja on Friday.
It was gathered that the incident occurred opposite Kogi State Polytechnic while the young man was on his way to visit family members shortly after arriving from Idah, where he had completed his examinations.
Eyewitnesses said AbdulKarim was attempting to avoid some wheelbarrow pushers along the busy road when he reportedly lost control and fell beneath an oncoming trailer.
The truck was said to have run over him, causing severe head injuries that led to his death on the spot.
A source who witnessed the incident described the accident as heartbreaking, noting that the deceased had looked excited after finishing his final papers.
One of his colleagues, who mourned the loss, lamented that the student’s dreams were cut short shortly after completing his academic programme.
“After writing your final exams and preparing to reunite with your loved ones, your life was suddenly taken away. It is painful,” the colleague said.
The National Association of Kogi State Students also expressed grief over the incident, describing AbdulKarim’s death as a painful loss to the student community of the college.
The association’s president at the institution, Hassan Mustapha, said the deceased was known for his humility, dedication, and promising future.
“He was a calm, hardworking and respectful young man whose death has left many students devastated,” he said.
Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Lawal Fagge, said the crash occurred at about 5:28 p.m. on Friday.
According to him, the accident involved a truck bearing registration number KMC 23 YQ.
Fagge stated that the victim sustained multiple injuries, including severe trauma to the head.
He added that the remains had been deposited at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Lokoja for autopsy.