Accident: Auchi Poly denies death of 13 students

Management of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi in Ed‎o State has denied reports that 13 of its students died in the road accident that occurred at Aviele village along the Benin-Auchi expressway.

The accident which occurred on Sunday involved an articulated truck which collided with an 18-seater bus and 13 persons were reportedly killed.

News of the accident reached students of the polytechnic

that 13 students were killed in the incident.

The students angered by the news protested to the scene of the accident and torched the trailer after the driver fled.

Another unlucky trailer driver who arrived the scene was beaten to pulp by some of the students, while the tyres of the truck were set ablaze.

It took the intervention of security operatives within the institution to ‎rescue the driver and calm the angry students.

Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Oluwasusi Familoni, ‎who confirmed the incident on Monday said he was yet to get details.

The polytechnic’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Mustapha Oshiobugie, who debunked the death of 13 students, described it as a wild rumour.

Oshibugie said none of the polytechnic students lost their lives or sustained injuries in the said incident.

He said that the demonstration by the students resulted from the rumour ‎but was brought under control when the true position on the issue was confirmed by the school management.

He said, “No student of the polytechnic died or was injured in the rumoured accident.

“No accident happened anywhere proximate to the campus.

“It was a wild rumour that unsettled students and they calmed when they discovered that there was no truth to the story.”

The Nation